Behind Emerald Eyes
by Habit
Summary: Sakura was just a regular girl, with a regular job, and a regular family...until something horrible happened that changed her life forever. Now, she is trying to start her life over, but she also has someone depending on her. What will the gang think?
1. Can I Sleep With You?

**A/N: This isn't the actual Habit, this is her sister. I'm posting this under her name because I dont want to post it under mine and I'm using her computer and she was just logged in, so, yeah. SHHHH...don't tell. I know she'll find out but don't rat me out!! Anyways...this is the first chapter of the story i wrote while I was in the hospital. I'll update when I can, but I have to do it when she's not using her computer!**

**I think this is where I say I don't own Naruto, so, now you know...L8r!! **

Chapter 1: Can I sleep with you?

The sound of rain beating against the roof woke her. She had no idea what was going on or where she was. She panicked and reached under her pillow for the sai she used to protect herself. A creaking drew her attention to her door. She watched intently, her hand clenching the sai nervously. The door creaked open and light spilled into the room. A small figure stood in the doorway, rubbing their eyes.

"Mommy…can I sleep with you tonight? The loud noises woke me up." came a small, sleepy yet frightened voice. She let out the breath she had been holding and put the sai, along with its mate, in the drawer of the nightstand to her right.

"Sure thing sweetie. Come on in here and climb up in bed with mommy." She smiled as the little figure scuttled across the floor and pounced into her bed. The little figure snuggled up to the woman in the bed as she laid back down and stroked his back gently.

"Mommy?" came his small, sleepy voice. The woman looked down at him and smiled kissing him on the forehead.

"Yes, sweetie?" she said lightly, hoping he'd fall asleep soon so that she could go back to sleep as well. He sighed and closed his big green eyes.

"I hope our new home is better than the old one." he said quietly, finally falling back to sleep. The woman sighed and looked out the window at the raging storm. She then looked at her alarm clock: it was 4 am. She would be getting up soon to go to work for two hours, then go to school after dropping the little boy off at daycare.

"I hope so too buddy…I hope so too." She said quietly and lay down beside her son. She felt him snuggle up closer to her and wrap his little fist tightly in her hair. He had taken to doing that a lot lately.

She sighed and hoped he would sleep better now. Ever since they moved, he had trouble sleeping. She nuzzled his red hair and sighed, drifting back to sleep.


	2. Not A Morning Person

**A/N:** **Um...just so something is clear...the world I am basing this off of is a mixture of the Naruto world and the real world. With that said...enjoy the musings of an ill 20 year old's mind. Also, I don't own Naruto. **

Chapter 2: Not a Morning Person…

**BEE-**click

A small, dark haired woman hurriedly shut off the alarm as she looked at the tiny red headed child in bed with her. She traced his face lightly with her fingers and smiled absently.

She quietly and carefully stood from the bed, making sure not to disturb the sleeping child. She looked at her clock and saw it was 5:15 am. She had 45 minutes to get ready, get her son ready, and be to work. She cursed under her breath lowly and ran into the bathroom.

She took a 5 minute shower, threw her makeup in a small bag and wrapped a towel around her head. She walked quietly into the bedroom in the robe that hung in her bathroom. She walked into her walk-in closet and shut the door before turning on the light.

She dropped her towel and grabbed her bra and panties and put them on, then grabbed a pair of black cargo pants and a dark red sweater. She had forgotten that it was really cold here in November. She allowed her thoughts to wander. She hoped that she could get through today unnoticed by anyone that could cause her trouble.

She put a pair of black dress shoes and took the towel off her hair. She noticed black spots on her red towel and sighed. Her hair dye was wearing off, she'd have to get more soon. She scrubbed her shoulder length black hair dry and braided it. She shut off the light and opened the door. She walked over to the bed and picked up her son.

She heard him whine and giggled softly. She rubbed his back and took him to his room. She opened the door and walked in, sitting him on the bed while she went to his closet. She picked out a pair of black jeans, a small grey shirt with race cars on the front and a bright red sweatshirt that had a speedometer on it. He grumbled while she dressed him and she just laughed softly at him.

She put his little black shoes on his feet and picked him up again. She grabbed the black and red plaid blanket he loved so much and the stuffed raccoon she'd bought him. She walked out of his room and downstairs. She gathered a few things together, put them in her purse and walked out the door. She settled her sleepy son in his car seat and put her purse in the front seat beside her. She draped the blanket over him and tucked the raccoon under his arm.

She started her car and rolled out of her garage, pushing the button to put it down after she was out all the way. She eased her red Nissan Skyline Coupe out on the road, and drove towards the café she had gotten a job at. She looked at her clock and saw she had only ten minutes to get there. Frowning, she turned down a road and raced down the back streets of the town and pulled up to the café with two minutes to spare.

She got her son out of the car, bundled him up against the November chill, and walked in the back of the café, clocking in as she walked in. Her boss gave her an odd look and she put her finger to her lips. The old man smiled and nodded. He took her bag and set it aside and showed her the back room where she could lay him down and let him sleep while she worked.

She smiled and laid him on the small couch in the back room, covering him up and giggling quietly when he clucked his raccoon. She quietly pulled the door until there was only a small crack and she walked up front where her boss was. She smiled at him and put on her apron.

"Good morning Sarutobi-san." she said sweetly while she gathered things to wipe down all the tables. He smiled at her and nodded towards the back room where the little boy was sleeping.

"He yours I take it? What is such a pretty young thing like you doing with a little boy?" He asked politely. He noticed her stiffen and decided to drop it. "Well, he's a cute little thing. Reminds me of my grandson, Konohamaru. If you want, you can bring him here every morning and he can sleep back there while you work. It will save money on a babysitter and he will be able to see you when he wakes up." He noticed her eyes light up with happiness and chuckled.

"Well, Sakura, looks like we have a deal. As long as he gets to play with my grandson. Konohamaru and his mother usually visit around 7 am when she is walking him to day care." he saw her giggle and smiled at her.

"Hai, Sarutobi-san. Tomi will be awake in about 15 minutes. He also had a hard night…there was a storm last night and where we moved from, bad things happened on stormy nights." her voice was so quiet, Sarutobi almost missed it.

"Well, growing boys need their sleep…and their breakfast. When he wakes up, perhaps he will come out and join me for a little breakfast?" Sarutobi was smiling at her and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Hai…I'll see if he wants to do that." with that said, she went and wiped down all the tables and swept the floor. She turned the 'Closed' sign to 'Open' and went back behind the counter. Sarutobi sat on his customary stool and waited for the first customer.


	3. No Day Care?

**A/N: Okay, I was reading through some 'reviews' my sister got and I was wondering...what is OOC? For that matter...what is OC?? o.O I'm a first time writer, so I'm not all that sure about all this. And now for my mandatory disclaimer: huh...I can't find it...anyways, I don't own Naruto!**

Chapter 3: No Day Care!?

Sakura waited up front, cleaning tables and serving customers, for her son to wake up. He was sleeping longer than normal and she was slightly worried. She wanted to check on him, but just as she was about to a young man walked up to the counter.

"Hello, welcome to The Tea Tree Café, my name is Sakura, how many I help you?" She smiled at him and waited for him to order. When he didn't say anything, she looked at him to see him staring at her with a smug smirk. She didn't like the look he was giving her…not at all.

She tried being friendly again and taking his order. "Sir, is there something you would like to order?" she asked in a sweet voice, though she wanted to retch when his smirk got bigger.

"How about your phone number, hott stuff?" he asked in a husky voice. Her smile disappeared and was replaced with a frown. She looked at the small line that had started to form behind him.

"Sir, if you are not going to order something from the menu, I will have to ask you to remove yourself so that others may order." He arch a brow and looked behind him at the ever steadily growing line. He smirked and looked back at her.

"Only if you give me your phone number." Sakura could feel her stomach tighten and bile rise in her throat. She fought it down and decided to ignore him.

"Next in line please." She smiled at someone who stepped up beside the youth that was harassing her. The woman ordered and Sakura hurried to complete the order. When she returned and gave the customer what they ordered and rang them up, the guy that had asked for her phone number was STILL there.

"Sir, I'm afraid loitering is not permitted. Either order or leave, please." She scowled as his grin returned and he leaned on the counter. He was trying to get a better look at her and she knew this. She was about to ask him to leave again when Sarutobi walked up.

"Sakura, is there a problem?" the old man asked with a smile, but Sakura noticed the young man stiffen immediately. She looked at her boss, then back at the young man.

"Um, gomen Sarutobi-san, but this young man refuses to order or leave unless I give him my phone number." She said quietly. Sarutobi frowned at the young man, then looked at his young employee. He noticed how uncomfortable she was around this young man.

"Young man, I wont have you coming into my shop and harassing my niece." Sarutobi put his arm on Sakura's shoulders. Her eyes widened, but that was the only indication she was surprised. "If you are only after her number, I suggest you leave…now." there was a demand in his polite suggestion that even Sakura noticed.

"Sakura dear, why don't you go check on young Tomi. I think I heard him stirring in the back." Sakura gasped and ran into the back, leaving Sarutobi and the young man alone, with a small line waiting for their morning beverage.

"Uchiha…stay away from her. She doesn't have time for a play boy like you. She has enough problems without some egotistical brat like you hounding her." Sarutobi now glared openly at the youth. The black haired youth smirked and turned away from the old man.

"You can't protect her all the time old man. She has to leave here some time…and I'll be waiting." With that said, the Uchiha youth left. Sarutobi growled, but then noticed the young man at the counter waiting. Sarutobi smiled and apologized for the wait.

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Sakura walked quickly to the back room and opened the door further. She saw her son stirring and rubbing his eyes, looking around him drowsily. She walked in and sat on the couch beside his little head. She pulled him into her lap and he curled up against her. She giggled at him and rubbed his back.

"Tomi…mommy has someone she wants you to meet. You want mommy to get you some breakfast?" his little red head nodded and continued to rub his eyes. She giggled again and stood, taking him, his blanket and his stuffed raccoon up front. Sarutobi had served the few people that the dark haired young man had kept waiting when he refused to leave.

"Well well…so the little man is awake after all. You hungry sport?" the old man kept a safe distance from the little boy, in case he became scared. The little boy clung to his mother and put his thumb in his mouth, his head on her shoulder. He had a choke hold around her neck. She laughed and sat on Sarutobi's stool and pulled him up, looking into his big green eyes.

"Tomi, this is Uncle Sarutobi. He's going to let you come to work with mommy every morning so that you can sleep while mommy works. Okay sweetie? Be a good boy and say hello." She kissed his head and turned him around to see the old man. Sarutobi smiled warmly at the little boy and noticed the child smirk at him. It wasn't quite a smile, but he was acknowledging the old man. Sarutobi gave a hearty laugh and ruffled the boy's hair. The child immediately became shy and clung to his mother once more.

Sakura laughed and rubbed his back. "I'm sorry Sarutobi-san…Tomi isn't used to men. He's only ever had me and I don't date. He's all I need, right little man?" she smiled lovingly at her son. He rubbed his face in her hair and mumbled something. She laughed and sat him on the counter.

"Alright sweetie…I'll get you some breakfast, but you have to let Uncle Sarutobi watch you so you don't fall down and hurt yourself, okay?" the little boy nodded and looked at Sarutobi shyly. His thumb was still in his mouth and he smiled around it. Sarutobi chuckled and walked over to the boy.

"Nice to meet you Tomi. You can call me Otoji if you want to. That means unclean in my native language. I hear you and your mommy came from across the big water to live here. Tell me, do you like it here so far?" Sarutobi saw Sakura stiffen and filed that away in his mind. He would let her come to him, not force it out of her.

"Not scary…mommy happy. Airplanes scary." Sarutobi smiled as 'airplane' sounded like 'erpane' as the little boy talked around his thumb. Sarutobi was slightly surprised that this little boy talked so well. He couldn't be more that 5 years old.

"How old are you Tomi? Show me with your fingers." Sarutobi saw the look at his hands, as if thinking. He then held up 3 fingers.

"Dis manys." the little boy took his thumb out of his mouth and became a little more open. He was giggling and clapping and looking at his mother, who smiled gently at him. Sarutobi smiled and patted the boy's head. As Sakura set Tomi's breakfast on the counter and got him a high chair a young woman with a little boy came in. The little boy bounced up to the counter.

"HIII JII-CHAN!" the little boy exclaimed loudly, startling Tomi. Tomi stared at the older boy with a confused face. Sakura patted Tomi's head and when he looked at her she smiled. He settled down, but continued to stare at the older boy.

"Good morning Konohamaru. How have you been?" Sarutobi asked his energetic grandson. He smiled when his daughter walked up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good morning Ayame. You are later than usual. What's going on?" Sakura sensed that Sarutobi was worried about something. She watched as the young woman named Ayame sighed and pulled up a stool.

"Jiro stormed out this morning because the daycare called and said that they were going to be closed for a few days. Seems that the building next to them has some health issues and the Health Board has shut down all the stores within a block of the place." Sarutobi grimaced and put his hands on his face, sighing.

"OH NO!" Sakura sighed and sunk down in a chair. Ayame and Sarutobi looked at her in question. Sakura massaged her temples and looked at the floor. "That's the Daycare I enrolled Tomi in. I have to go to school today. It's my first day and I can't afford to miss it. I missed enough time when I was pregnant with Tomi." Sarutobi looked at Ayame, then at the little red head that was staring at Konohamaru.

"Where are you going to school Sakura?" Sarutobi asked, remembering that Sakura was only nineteen. He knew it had to be one of the local schools. Sakura dug into her back pocket and took out the paper there.

"Place called Godaime Highschool." Sakura arched a brow and looked at them. "What kind of name is that? Are there like, 5 schools in order or what?" Sarutobi and Ayame laughed at this and looked at Sakura.

"Something like that. The first two were destroyed in a fire. The third one flooded and had to be torn down. The fourth one fell victim to vandalism and had to be renovated. They named it Godaime because this is the 5th time the school has been rebuilt.

Sakura just sweat dropped and looked at the slip of paper. "Great…I'm going to a school that has worse karma than I do…" both of the other adults in the conversation laughed at her statement.

"Well, look at it this way…there is a daycare right beside the high school that some of the students work in. They are overseen by a woman named Shizune. I would take Konohamaru there, but I don't work on that side of town." Sakura nodded and looked at the clock. She gasped and started gathering her things together.

"No, no, no, no! I'm going to be late if I don't leave!" She turned and bowed to Sarutobi and his daughter. "I'm sorry Sarutobi-san, but I really must go! I'll be back after school to finish my shift!" With that said, she grabbed her son up and ran out the back. Tomi squealed the whole way out.


	4. Faster Mommy!

**A/N: Er er...I've been caught...All I can say is, I don't own Naruto.../runs from homicidal sister!**

Chapter 4: Faster Mommy!

Sakura buckled Tomi into his car seat and shut the door quickly. She raced around the back and got in the driver side. She started her Skyline and tore out of the employee parking lot. She tore across town and giggled as she heard Tomi in the back, squealing.

"Faster Mommy, faster!" he giggled and clapped his hands. She spotted the school and started slowing down. She made it to the Daycare parking lot and parked. She heaved Tomi out and got her purse, with all of Tomi's things in it. She took out her wallet and all the things she would need for the day. She also pulled out a black messenger bag and dumped her makeup and everything in it.

Sakura made sure he had his blanket and his raccoon and quickly went inside. A dark haired woman looked up and smiled at her. "How can I help you ma'am?" the woman asked politely. Sakura blushed and looked at the clock.

"Um, I just moved here with my son and the daycare I had enrolled him in near my job is closed because of health issues. I was wondering if I could enroll him here? I go to school at the school and I'm running late from work…Please help me…" she pleaded. The woman smiled and put a paper in front of her.

"Just sign here, and put his name and any allergies he has. My name is Shizune and I will be overseeing the care of your child. If you have any concerns, please, let me know." The woman smiled at Tomi, who wrapped his arms around his mom's neck and buried his face in her hair.

Sakura quickly filled out the paperwork and put Tomi on his feet. "Okay sweetie. Miss Shizune is going to take care of you. She's very nice and will keep you company until mommy can come and get you, okay? Can you be a good boy and let mommy go to class?" she asked while smiling at her child. He smiled back and nodded, seeming much older than his 3 years. "That's mommy's boy. I'll see you soon, okay baby?" she kissed his head and looked up at Shizune.

"He's afraid of men, so he needs to have a woman take care of him. His father was…abusive…that's why I moved." Sakura said cryptically. Shizune nodded and led the little boy into the play room with the other kids. He looked back at Sakura and waved bye. Sakura waved and walked out the door, running to the school. She got to the office just as the first warning bell rang.

"Excuse me?" she smiled at the man sitting at the desk in the office. He smiled back and asked her if she needed something. She explained her situation, minus the fact she had a son, and collected her schedule, locker information, gym uniform, and books. She took off towards her locker, whizzed through the combination and stored her belongings.

She then took off towards her first class, which she noted she had passed on her way to her locker. She stopped in front of the door, composed herself and knocked on the door. Her face was impassive as a white haired man opened the door and commenced staring at her. She stared back and he started blushing, the beginnings of a nose bleed rolling down his upper lip.

Sakura arched a brow and spoke softly to him. "Sensei…are you going to let me in or are you going to make me stand in the hall all class?" she heard a few chuckles and hid her smirk as the man cleared his throat and motioned her on in.

"Class, this is our new student. Please make her feel welcome." She turned to see the white haired teacher staring at her rear. A vein popped on her forehead and she cracked him in the top of the head.

"My face is no where in that vicinity sensei. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior." she turned back around and looked at the class. She saw them staring at her: girls at clothes, boys at her chest. She gave a weary sigh and shifted her weight to her other foot.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, I'm nineteen and I just moved here from the United States. My interests are my own, my likes and dislikes are bountiful. I don't like many people and I'm not going to be your friend. I'm going to get through this hell hole and get the hell out. Don't bother trying to talk to me because this is the first and last time I will address any of you." her emerald eyes were cold, her face stoic. This drew the attention of a young man sitting in the back. He had been ignoring her until she started brushing all of them off.

The teacher just stared at her in shock. He then found his voice and cleared his throat. "Well, right then. My name is Jiraya, and I will be your Literature teacher." Sakura nodded at him and looked at him expectantly. He looked for an empty seat on his seating chart and when he found one, he arched a brow.

"You may sit in the seat in the back closest to the window. Your seat mate will be Sabaku Gaara. Sabaku-san, raise you hand please." He looked up expectantly, only to see Sakura walking away, towards the back. She didn't need the man to raise his hand. She could see her seat clear enough.

Sakura sat her bag on her desk and sat down. She took out her notebook and waited for class to begin. She never looked at anyone or anything just sat back lazily in her chair and waited for the lecture to start. She didn't even acknowledge the red head sitting beside her…not that he actually talked to her anyways.

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Jade eyes roved over her body as class started. Their teacher was talking about the intricacies of writing and how he was an established author of a big time selling book, Icha Icha.

The young red head couldn't figure out why this girl beside him was so cold…so reserved. Several notes had been flicked on her desk, only to be caught and hurled back without her even looking at them. She had started doodling while their teacher blabbered on about how to identify a good author from a bad one. He decided that it was time to play a little trick on the woman and started manipulating his sand into a small brown eye.

He sent the eye to sit on her desk and stare at her. She didn't even pay attention to it. Instead, she started writing something and then covertly put it on his desk. He arched an invisible brow at what it said.

_'If you are trying to impress me with this little eye, you are going to have to do better than that. That's child's play.'_

He smirked wickedly and wrote something back on it. He very carefully put it back on her desk and regained his emotionless mask. She opened it and just stared at it. He thought he saw the beginnings of a scoff and watched her as she read.

_'This is just the tip of the ice burg, woman. This was just because I was bored and hoping you'd jump and scream like most other women.'_

He definitely saw something flash in her eyes when she read 'like most other women'. She schooled her expression once more and wrote something down and handed it back to him. He was surprised by what she wrote.

_'I guarantee you most 'other women' you know can't put you through a concrete wall if you mess with them. I can, and will, if you don't get over your fascination with me.'_

With that, she turned her body away from him and started taking notes once more. He stared at the note, then at her. He smiled inwardly…a vicious smile meant to frighten. He would have fun with this one…


	5. She's Fast!

**A/N: SHHHHH...be vewy vewy quiet...my sister is asleep and I am updating!! Oh yeah, I don't own Naruto!**

Chapter 5: She's fast!

The classes went by quickly. She gave the same introduction to every class that had people that didn't know her, and the same warning. She had met one guy in particular that couldn't take the hint to let her be. He sat behind her in government and kept throwing notes on her desk. She would shoot them right back without even reading them.

She could sense his pout, but she didn't care…all she cared about was getting out of there and back to Tomi. She was walking to lunch when something, or someone, blocked her path to the cafeteria. She looked up to see the dark headed young man from the café.

She arched a brow and just walked right past him. He arched a brow and followed behind her. "So, you gonna give me your number yet, sweetheart?" he taunted, wanting her to be uncomfortable. She didn't even acknowledge him and it made him angry.

"I was talking to you, bitch!" he growled and attempted to put his hand on her. Faster than he could have imagine, she was facing him and more than an arms length away. She glared at him and put her hand on her hip.

"I would have thought my lack of acknowledgement would tell you that I want nothing to do with you Bright Eyes. Don't EVER put your hands on me if you want to keep them." She continued to walk to the cafeteria and he followed…at a safe distance.

When they arrived, the hyperactive blonde that had pestered her all through Government smiled at her. She noticed his smile change drastically when the dark headed boy followed her in, staring at her back and seething.

In an instant the blonde was beside her and he was glaring. "What are you doing hounding Sakura-san teme?" he asked in a hushed tone. The dark headed boy looked up and scoffed.

"What's it to you, dobe? I can do whatever I want, whenever I want." The guy walked right past Sakura and smirked over at her. He was about to lean down to kiss her, but instead his lips met with a hard bound chemistry book. He pulled back and arched a brow.

"I don't kiss things that didn't at least evolve from the same genetic coding as me. That makes kissing you obsolete Sir Clucks-a-lot." She walked away from him as the dark headed boy fumed and the blonde howled with laughter.

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Jade eyes watched with amusement as the new girl insulted THE Uchiha Sasuke. He couldn't help but chuckle at the name she gave him. It was true that his hair style reminded people of a chicken's ass, but no one had ever told him so…at least not to his face.

This woman intrigued him. He knew she was hiding something behind that mask of icy indifference. She had spoken in notes to him and, from what he could see, this was not her first run in with the Uchiha. He decided to see what was going on. He cut her off and looked down into those emerald eyes that sparkled defiantly at him.

She wasn't far from the blonde and the Uchiha when he stopped her with his body blocking her path. She sighed and looked back at the other two guys. "What is it with the guys in this school and not leaving me the hell alone?" She grumbled and looked up at the red head from her Lit class. She noticed him smirk, but it was gone in seconds, replaced by the same mask she used in this place.

Before she knew it, tension built and the whole room became quiet. She looked up and saw the dark haired boy glaring at the red head, and vice versa. The blonde just stepped over to her side and watched. He leaned over and whispered to her.

"I don't know how you met Gaara, but he usually doesn't involve himself in things like this. You must fascinate him for him to approach Sasuke-teme in your defense." Sakura looked up at the blonde. She could tell he was not only telling the truth, but was slightly surprised.

"I don't think she likes your advances Uchiha. Leave her alone if you don't want trouble." With that, the red head named Gaara walked over to her and cocked his head. "You can sit with us so that he wont bother you. If you sit alone you won't be able to get rid of him." She just stared up at his impassive face.

He could tell she was debating…company of a few friendly people, or company of the total asshole that was Uchiha Sasuke. She looked over at Sasuke, who was trying to act indifferent. She finally turned towards where the red head had come from and walked forward, motioning with her head for them to lead the way.

She heard Sasuke curse under his breath and mentally swore that if he ever talked like that in front of her son in the café, he'd loose a lot more than his pride. The blonde was bouncing beside her and talking faster than even she could process the information. She rubbed her face with one hand and noticed that when she drew it away, there was a slight smear of blood. She quickly hid it and pretended to be the ice queen once again.

"I'm gad you're going to sit with us, Sakura-san! I was hoping you could help me with our government homework!?" he begged with puppy dog eyes. In that moment, he looked like her son and she actually graced the two males with a smile. Gaara's breathing hitched at her involuntary action while the blonde just stared, wide eyed.

"WOW! You have a really pretty smile Sakura-san!" he said quietly and just stared. She quickly looked down and hid her smile, replacing it with her same icy features as before. The blonde just kind of chuckled and walked beside her all the way to their table.

When they got there, there were about seven other kids. They looked up at the approach of the red head and blonde, but were surprised to see the icy expression on Sakura's face.

"Hey guys, this is Sakura-san. She just told Sasuke-teme off and it was the funniest thing I have EVER seen!" the blonde quipped rather loudly. Sakura heard whispers behind her. The loudest one was 'She told MY Sasuke to take a hike!?' Sakura smirked at this and sat across from a blonde with four pony tails. The girl stuck out her hand and smiled.

"Anyone that shuns Sasuke is a goddess in my book. Most of the girls in this school adore him…except for us. My name is Temari…this is my step sister Tenten, our best friend Hinata, and her cousin Neji. The loudmouth that is likely to get you jumped by the Sasuke fan girls is Naruto." Sakura smirked and turned around when she felt eyes boring into her back.

There was a blonde with baby blue eyes standing behind her with a frown on her face. "And just WHY were you so rude to Sasuke-kun!?" she demanded. Sakura had expected someone much bitchier to approach her. This girl obviously wasn't one of his fan girls, but she was connected to him somehow.

"He harassed me at work this morning and then harassed me again on my way here. Then he tried to kiss me even though I told him I wasn't interested." Sakura voice held nothing but plain truth. Her eyes were cold and reminded Gaara of emeralds at that moment.

The blonde sighed and put her hand to her forehead. "He is such a baka thinking every female on the face of the planet is his plaything. I'm sorry he has been giving you trouble. My name is Ino, I'm Sasuke's step-sister, but we don't exactly see eye to eye." With this said, Ino glared over at the dark haired boy, who was sitting with some weird looking guys that crept Sakura out.

Sakura took the hand extended to her and shook it. She slid over a tad and motioned Ino to sit. Ino smiled and sat down. She looked at Temari and smiled. "Hello Temari-chan…how was your weekend?" Temari smiled and proceeded to tell the other blonde all about her weekend.

Sakura couldn't help but think that something was going to go terribly wrong today. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and put her hand up behind her without ever turning around. She felt something smooth and round in her hand and her palm stung a little. Whatever it was had been thrown with a lot of power behind it. She brought it in front of he and looked at it. It was a soft ball with ugly words written all over it and lewd remarks.

Sakura sighed and tossed it over her shoulder. Gaara arched on invisible brow when she murmured "How childish." The others just stared at her in awe. Ino poked her in the shoulder.

"How did you do that?" Both blonde women were eager for an answer. Sakura sighed and turned around in her seat, staring at an awe struck black haired male. She decided that ignoring everyone in the school like she had originally intended would not work anymore. Instead, she stood up and picked the ball up once more.

"I don't know what possessed you to throw this at me, Uchiha, but let me make this very plain." Without another word, Sakura turned and threw the ball at the cement wall of the cafeteria. The softball went through the wall and imbedded in a tree outside, making it shake visibly. A howling noise came from the hole as the cold November wind blew.

She turned and looked back at the guys sitting with Sasuke. The look on their faces was priceless. She turned and sat back down without another word. Everyone at the table she sat at looked at her in awe, even Gaara's eyes were wider than usual. He knew then that her little threat from Lit was completely plausible.

With a sigh, Sakura got up to leave. She'd lost her appetite and just wanted to go see her son. "I'll catch you guys later. I have things to do and I just lost my appetite because of Sir Clucks-too-much." Everyone at her table burst into laughter at the name and she noticed that Sasuke was trying to make out what they were laughing at. She decided to make it easy on him.

"They're laughing at you, Uchiha." she then turned and walked out of the cafeteria. Sasuke was hot on her heels, fuming, until Gaara, Naruto, and Neji blocked his way. Sasuke turned around and stomped back to his table, cursing the whole time.


	6. Just Too Tired

**A/N: OHHHH...so that's what Liz means when she says that some of my characters are OOC...huh...TT she is such a mean twin...oh well...I don't own Naruto...I don't know who does, but I bet they are rich!! **

Chapter 6: Just Too Tired.

Sakura appeared outside the Daycare center. She had gone into an empty classroom and jumped out the window after locking the door behind her. She didn't want people to find out about her son if she could prevent it, especially that Uchiha guy. He looked familiar…in a bad way. She shook it off and looked inside the window and saw her son. His bright red hair contrasted wildly with the little white pillow his head was on.

"Must be nap time. I guess I'll go back to school…at least I put my unease to rest." with that, she ran off back to the school. She climbed into an open window, only to find Gaara leaning up beside it. He looked over at her and smirked.

"You're welcome. I figured you'd want to get back in just as discreetly as you left, so I unlocked the window and opened it for you." he said so quietly she almost missed it…almost.

"I appreciate the favor; however…never follow me again. I have reason for leaving the way I did. I could have easily made it to the roof and gotten in." She didn't even look back at him as she hopped in and shut the window behind her. She walked away without another word. He just stood there contemplating what she'd said and the ice in her voice when she'd told him to stop following her.

He didn't even understand why he had done it in the first place. It certainly wasn't any of his business what she did and where she went. But something told him to make sure she was safe, even if he didn't want to. He decided that he would, instead, see exactly what she was made of.

---------------------------------

Sakura returned to the lunch room to find it mostly abandoned. With the exception of the people that she'd met before putting a hole in the cement wall with the softball.

"HEY! Sakura-san! Where you been? We waited for you to come back before going to the gym for after lunch R&R!" the blonde named Naruto shouted. Sakura's brain, at the moment, overlayed her own son over the loud mouth's features and she couldn't help but sweat drop. She really hoped Tomi wasn't this way when he got older. She walked up to the table and sat down, crossing her legs delicately.

"I had to check on something…don't worry about it." from her tone the others could tell she wasn't going to share, so they just shrugged it off and started gathering their belongings. Sakura stood up, messenger bag in tow, when she felt the familiar hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She immediately dodged whatever was coming her way, her arms still folded across her chest.

She walked away from the person behind her who had his fist in the same space her head had occupied moments ago. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and frowned. "Gaara…I appreciate everything you've done for me. But if you put your hands on me without my permission, you will severely regret it." She walked away, the others gaping at him. They noticed the maniacal smirk on his face as he followed her out.

"Oh shit…this is going to be trouble…" Temari sighed and followed the others out the door and into the gym. Temari walked through the double doors of the gym to see Sakura and Gaara facing one another. Sakura was frowning and Gaara smiling (OH GOD! Him smiling is bad news!).

Temari motioned the others to sit back and watch what happened. She could barely make out what the two were saying. "What's the meaning of this Gaara?" She heard the young woman growl. She could tell Sakura was not interested in doing this, but Gaara wouldn't be swayed.

"You are the only person that has ever completely dodged one of my attacks. I want to see just what you are capable of." Gaara was still smiling and it was starting to creep Temari out. She heard Sakura sigh and watched the girl turn her back on the red head.

"I don't fight unless I have a damn good reason to Gaara. Don't ask me to do this…it wont be pretty." Sakura was about to walk away when she heard Gaara chuckled.

"I'm not asking you to do anything. You are going to spar me otherwise you are going to get hurt." He growled and took off towards her. Temari noticed the tired look in those emerald eyes for the first time. Temari knew then that this girl had been fighting a long time…and for many reasons.

Everyone watched as Gaara attacked over and over, but all Sakura did was dodge everything. She never made to attack him, never even put her messenger bag down. She kept dodging until a voice cut through the air.

"Haruno-san…we have a problem." Sakura froze and looked at the brunette she'd charged with taking care of her son. She was distracted long enough for Gaara to catch her in the face with a punch. She was pushed back a little, but she remained standing and her hair covered her face.

When Sakura looked back at Gaara, her eyes were on fire and there was deadly intent in them. Gaara pulled back and looked at the floor. He'd never hit a girl before in his life…the fact that he'd hit her made him feel weird. He noticed the blood coming from her bottom lip where he'd bested her lip, but as hard as he'd hit her, there was no bruise.

He noticed her attention dart from him to the woman at the door. Sakura ignored him and the blood on her face and ran to the woman. They talked in low whispers and then Sakura raced out of the gym. Gaara wondered what she was in such a hurry about.

Gaara walked back over to his group in a daze. He could see a few people were upset with him, mainly the girls, and a few of the guys were worried at the look in his cold jade eyes. They noticed him looking at his hand like it was some foreign being.

"Gaara, you alright man?" asked the brunette with the red stripes on his face. He'd known Gaara a long time and had never seen the red head look like this. Gaara looked up at them, then back at his hand.

"I've never hit a girl before…I thought she was going to block it, but that woman distracted her. I-I couldn't stop it…" Gaara was definitely in a daze. Temari put her arms around her brother in an unusual display of sibling affection and patted his back.

"What I want to know is why Shizune was talking to Sakura." Tenten started rubbing her step brother's back and whispering things to make him feel better.

"And more importantly…why did her eyes look so tired. It's like she's been fighting an uphill battle with no reprieve in sight." Temari looked back at a brunette boy with a pineapple shaped pony tail.

"P-Perhaps she has a y-younger sibling that is s-sick?" Hinata suggested and blushed when people looked at her. Neji rubbed her back and Naruto beamed at her.

"You're probably right Hinata-chan! She does have that 'big sister' aura about her." Naruto scratched the back of his head as several people sweat dropped. Ino, however, wasn't so sure. She'd seen that look in other women's eyes…women who had children that were in danger. She sat quietly, thinking to herself.


	7. Making Friends

**A/N: Hewwo!! It's me again. My twin sister, Liz, is the real Habit, but it's so much easier to post under her name because she is established and well...I'm a noob...lol. I hope you enjoy! I don't own Naruto!**

Chapter 7: Making Friends

Sakura raced towards the daycare with blazing emerald eyes. Shizune had updated her on what she was going to see when she got there. When she did, she burst through the door, a deadly aura surrounding her. A tall man with cold eyes was standing in front of the desk, a chubby little boy standing in front of him. The child looked up at her with hateful eyes and a petulant disposition. She figured he was four or five.

A sob made her look to the left of the pair and she saw her little three year old red headed son with a bruise on his face and a fat lip. Her anger soared through the roof and she turned her burning gaze to the man, who had the sense to shift restlessly.

Sakura calmed herself and walked over to Tomi, who was trying hard to cry quietly. Sakura picked him up and he busted out crying, unable to hold it in anymore. She kissed his forehead and rubbed his hair out of his face. "It's alright baby…mommy's here now. Shhhh, stop crying, mommy will make it better."

Sakura then turned her cold, angry eyes on the man and the little boy. The boy took a step back and grabbed his father's pants leg. The man had the grace to look away, then turned fishy eyes back to her. "And just who the hell are you?" He demanded and gave her a haughty look.

Sakura stiffened and glared death at him. She looked down at the boy who had regained confidence when his father had talked down to her. "I'm a student that the school. I was pulled out of class because your_son,_" she spat the word and looked at the father once more, "Hit my son not once, not twice, but FOUR times. Just how do you explain this?" She hissed at him, sending the little bully behind his father's leg with fiery eyes.

The man shrugged and looked at the little boy hiding behind his leg. "He was only playing…you know how rough boys get these days." the man smirked at her, thinking this would pacify her. Oh how wrong he was. He features darkened even more and she put Tomi on the couch behind her and stepped up to the man, getting in his face.

"Listen here Jaws, your boy outweighs my son by a good fifteen, twenty pounds. He's almost a head taller than my son and is probably two, may three years older than him. Hitting a small kid four times as hard as he can isn't _playing_." she sneered the word and continued to hiss at the man while poking him in the chest to emphasize her point.

"Shit like that is called bullying and I wont put up with it from you, your brat, or anyone else that upsets my son. If your son EVER puts his hands back on my Tomi, you can call your lawyers because I will be taking his tubby little ass to court for assault. And before you go spouting off your 'you can't do that he's just a child' or your 'boys will be boys' bull shit, take into consideration that I am a nineteen year old single parent. There aren't many laws pertaining to children I haven't researched." she bared her teeth at the man, making him take a step back. He hadn't expected this young woman to be such trouble.

The man held up his hands and backed away from her. His son stared up at him with amazement. He'd never seen his father back down from anyone, much less a woman a good foot shorter than him. Petulance erupted from him and he stomped his foot. "Daddy, WHAT are you doing!?" the kid demanded, glaring up at his father. The man glared back down at his kid, but sighed and looked at Sakura.

"Go get in the car Amida." the man watched the surprise, then agner wash the childs young face. The boy kicked his father in the shin and stomped to the door. Sakura's face turned red with anger and she reached out and snatched the child up and turned him to face her. He was going to hit her when he stopped. The look in her eyes warned him of trouble should he hit her.

"You say you're sorry to your father RIGHT NOW young man. They ONLY reason you are getting out of trouble is because of him. Now you apologize or I will wear your hide out from here to your dad's car." He looked up at her like he didn't believe her until he saw Tomi shaking head with wide eyes.

"Fine…sorry." he said angrily and tried to pull away. She jerked ham back around and looked him in the eyes again.

"That was not good enough. Apologize to him like you mean it. I'm going to count to five and if you haven't done it, I'm GOING to spank you." she hissed at the little boy. He mumbled something and Sakura saw red. "That's it…one, two, THREE…" the boy refused to even look at her. Sakura saw the wide eyes of the boy's father and wondered if the man had ever spanked the boy.

"FOUR…FIVE." when she said five, she flipped the child over on his stomach and proceeded to wear the child's butt out. The boy screamed and squirmed, looking up at his father pleadingly.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for kicking you daddy!" he screamed, tears of embarrassment streaming down his young face. Sakura stopped and turned him up right. She looked at him in the eyes, then her eyes softened. She rubbed the hair from his eyes and patted his head.

"I don't like spanking kids Amida, but you need to respect your father. He takes care of you and loves you…you should return the love and respect him because he could be very mean to you. You have a good daddy Amida, be thankful." the little boy's tears stopped and his sobbing quieted as he looked at Tomi, whose face was really sad. He looked back up at Sakura, then at his dad. He raised his hands, wanting to be picked up.

The man was shocked. Amida hadn't done that since he was two. The man picked up his son and hugged him to him. "It's okay Amida. We are going to be okay…mommy will get better an then everything will get back to normal." Amida nodded and put his head on his father's shoulder, drifting off to sleep after having cried so hard.

The man looked at Sakura with thanks. "My name is Kisame. Amida's mother is really sick and I've been so busy with work that I haven't really had time to spend with him. He started acting like this when my sister-in-law started watching him on the weekends." Sakura shook Kisame's extended hand. She smiled at him and felt Tomi wrap his little arms around her leg. She bent and picked him up. She looked at him and noticed he was sucking his thumb again.

"Tomi, this is Mr. Kisame. He is Amida's daddy, say hi sweetie." Tomi hid his face in her hair again and sniffled. She cooed at him and noticed the pained look on Kisame's face.

"Look…I'm really sorry that Amida hit your son. I haven't been the best influence on him." Sakura smiled at him and held up one finger.

"You should really try and spend the weekends with him. Fathers are an integral part of a little boy's life. Tomi is afraid of men because his daddy wasn't very nice. So he has lots of Uncles and grandpas, right Tomi?" She heard his breathing had evened out and giggled when she realized he was asleep.

"Seems both of them are really tuckered out. Tell you what…how about I keep Amida on the weekends so he can play with Tomi. I can pick him up here on Fridays, he can spend the night with us till Sunday, and we can meet at my job and you can take him home." She smiled at the shocked look on his face. He looked at his son, then at her and a smiled appeared on his face.

"Deal…we should talk about this more at a later date though. How about I give you a call tonight to discuss alternations? I can watch them some as well…and I know Amida loves it when I take him to the office." Sakura shook his hand and they proceeded to exchange contact information. Sakura sat on the couch as Kisame walked out with his son in his arms.

Someone cleared their throat and Sakura looked up to see an amused Shizune. Sakura got nervous and looked at her, wondering how much she'd seen. "How long have you been there Shizune-san?" She asked, clearing her throat. Shizune giggled and walked to sit beside her.

"Since you spanked Amida for kicking his father. I must say, you really have a way with children. Even though you spanked him, you were still able to calm him down to where he didn't get sick. I must say I am impressed." Sakura blushed and scratched the back of her head.

"Well, when I lived in America I worked in a daycare. That's how I met Tomi's father." Sakura's face went blank at the mention of the red headed boy's father. Shizune rubbed her back and smiled gently.

"Why don't you take him home? I'll inform the headmaster of the events and get someone to drop your missed work off by your house." Sakura smiled gratefully and stood up. She wrapped Tomi's blanket around him and picked up his raccoon. She walked out the door and to her car. She had settled him in and shut the door when the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She whirled around to see Ino standing behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked coldly. Ino gave her a look that said 'I'm not stupid'. Sakura sighed and motioned Ino to get into the car. "But you have to be quiet, Tomi's asleep and I don't want him woken up." Ino nodded and opened the door carefully. She got in and shut the door just as carefully. Sakura got in and started the car.

"So…how did you know?" Sakura asked, looking over at the blonde. Ino smiled and looked out the window.

"When you heard Shizune's voice, your eyes changed. It was like the pits of hell had opened up inside your eyes. I've seen women with children have the same look when their child was scared or hurt. Plus everyone at the school knows that Shizune is the head of the Daycare." Sakura stiffened and Ino sighed, looking over at her.

"Don't worry…I'm the only one that knows the truth. Hinata unknowingly gave you an out. She suggested to the others perhaps you had a younger sibling in Daycare." Ino turned around and looked at Tomi. Hearts started dancing in her eyes.

"AWWWW…he's so KAWAII!!" she gushed quietly and looked back at Sakura who was smiling proudly. She noticed the maternal pride immediately. Ino smiled and put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. Sakura looked at her and knew what the blonde wanted to know.

"I can't really go into detail, but Tomi's father is in jail for life. He wasn't the nicest of guys. He the second in command of a notorious gang back in L.A., where I lived previously." Ino nodded and looked back at the sleeping child.

"He is such a blessing though…" Ino murmured to herself. Sakura heard her though and nodded in agreement. Sakura stopped at the stop light and a thought hit her.

"Hey, why aren't you in school?" She asked and looked at Ino, who laughed. Ino showed her the name tag on a long sleeve black shirt she pulled out of her pack.

"I get out at 1:30 so that I can get to work by 2. I usually walk because I don't like riding with Sasuke. We may be step siblings, but I really don't like him." Ino's nose crinkled and Sakura giggled. She noticed the name tag was the same as her own. She snorted once and pulled her own name tag out of the center console between them.

"Looks like we're shift buddies." she threw the name tag in Ino's lap and Ino started giggling. She handed Sakura the tag back and started pulling the long sleeved shirt on over the thin white short sleeve shirt she'd been wearing at school.

Sakura pulled into the parking lot behind the café and parked. She saw the first snow flake hit her windshield and groaned. How she hated snow. Ino noticed too and grimaced. "I really hate snow." they said at the same time. They both laughed and got out of the car. Sakura went to Ino's side and picked Tomi up out of the car. He grumbled but remained sleeping.

"I'm guessing Sarutobi-jijii already knows about our little bundle of joy, ne?" Ino asked. Sakura nodded and packed the little boy into the warmth of the back room. She clocked in and took him to the break room. He laid the child on the couch and covered him up, just like she had that morning.

She pulled the apron on, just like she had this morning, and walked into the front. She was greeted by Sarutobi, who kissed her on the cheek. He greeted Ino the same way. "Oh my, seems both of my young nieces have met one another." Ino smiled brightly and hugged the old man.

"It's good to see you too Otoji." she giggled and bantered with him. He suddenly sobered and looked at Sakura.

"How was your first day at the new school, Sakura? You didn't run into any trouble did you?" Sakura knew he was talking about the Uchiha guy that had hounded her this morning. She smiled at him and shook her head. Ino arched a brow and smirked evilly.

"Hey Otoji…little Sakura has quite a large group of admirers." Sarutobi arched one grey eyebrow and looked at the blushing Sakura.

"Really now…anyone I'd know?" Ino nodded and Sakura turned away and went out to clean tables off. Ino smirked again and continued.

"Sasuke-baka for one. He tried to hit on her today and she insulted him TWICE by referring to him as a chicken. He tried to kiss her and ended up kissing her chemistry book instead. Also, he tried to hit her with a softball, but she CAUGHT it! It was the COOLEST thing I've ever seen." Sarutobi noted the blank look on Sakura's face. He quieted Ino and walked out to Sakura. He hugged her and let her rub her face in his chest, shielding her tears from the others.

"Don't worry Sakura…I'm here to look after you. After all, it's what your parents asked me to do." Her head snapped up at that, her eyes full of confusion. He looked at Ino, who nodded and took over the shop temporarily.

Sarutobi walked into the back with Sakura in tow. He sat her down and held her hand in his own. He looked her in the eyes and sighed. "You parents called me a year before their deaths. They asked me that if anything ever happened to them, that I would take care of you." She nodded, showing him that she understood. He continued then.

"The 'lawyer' you always talked to was actually my son-in-law. I'm the one that suggested that you move here. Your parents never go the chance to tell me why they were sending you back here, but I have a feeling it has something to do with little Tomi, ne?" Tears leaked out of Sakura's eyes and she nodded. He rubbed her back and squeezed her hand.

"I'm not asking you to tell me what happened. But if you ever want to talk, I will be here. Just know that you still have family and you are not alone. You will always have a job here, so don't worry if you miss some days. I have plenty of part timers." Sarutobi smiled at her and she hugged him.

"Thank you Otoji…so much…" she whispered. He patted her back and told her to lie down with her son. When she protested he shook his head.

"I wasn't expecting you until 4, remember? Ino works from 2 to 8 on school days. You two will have time to work together. But you look tired and you can sleep till 4. I'll come back and get you then. Now go to sleep, before I send you home for the night." he shook his finger at her. She smiled and nodded. She lay down on the couch beside her son and was soon fast asleep.


	8. Mommy?

**A/N: Anime isn't my specialty, but I wanted to try this! O I don't own Naru-chan!**

**Liz: What are you doing on my computer? (vein popping) **

**Me: (Sweatdrops) N-Nothing...just, you know, doing a little...reading... **

**Liz: (cracks knuckles ) Sissy, you better run...**

**Me: EEP! SAVE ME!! (runs for her life...again) **

Chapter 8: Mommy!?

Days turned to weeks as Sakura went to school, worked and took care of her child. Kisame had called her and they had arranged for Sakura to keep Amida Friday after school and night, Saturday all day and night, and Sunday during the day. They would meet at the Tea Tree Café, eat dinner with their children, then Kisame and Amida would go to the hospital to visit Amida's mother.

Ino had managed to snag all of Sakura's homework the days that she had to leave early to take care of Tomi. Their little group of friends had agreed to let the issue be, but Gaara couldn't forget the fact he had hit her. He wouldn't talk and would stare at her for long periods of time. She had brushed it off and had started eating lunch with them on a regular basis, much to Sasuke's dismay.

By the end of the first week, Sakura talked to the people in their group on a regular basis. She had learned that Naruto had a crush on Hinata, who in turn had a crush on him. She had devised a plan and had proceeded to lock them in a closet together. When they had finally gotten out, they managed to squeak out they were a couple after much blushing and stuttering.

Sakura also learned that Ino had a thing for Kiba. She didn't know how Kiba felt about Ino, but she was going to find out. One day at lunch, she was walking towards her group when a hand grabbed her wrist. She was drug to a shadowy area that her group couldn't see. She turned blazing green eyes and was met by black ones pleading for help.

"Kiba…what are you doing?" she asked and looked at his hand on her wrist. He removed it and looked at her imploringly.

"Sakura, you're Ino's BEST friend…I was…I was wondering if you could, you know, find out if she likes me?" there was a hopeful note in his voice. She hid a giggle behind her hand and looked at him.

"Like you said, I AM her best friends. So, of course, she has told me who she has a crush on." she watched apprehension cloud her eyes. She looked at him and smiled. "Her favorite color is purple and she likes violets. Go get her tiger." she said and watched the surprised, then happiness spread across his face. He thanked her and quickly went over to their table.

She watched him whisper in Ino's ear and immediately the blonde looked at Sakura, who was just walking up to the table. Ino smiled brightly and nodded adamantly. Sakura smiled and watched the two new couples touch and kiss affectionately. She noticed Tenten was stealing glances at Neji when he wasn't looking and the same went for him. Sakura smirked and covertly got behind the two. They were sitting side by side, so this would be easy for Sakura.

She tapped them on the shoulder at the same time and they turned to each other at the same time. They were only a breath away from each others' face. Sakura noticed their blushes and pushed their heads together, quickly making her way to her seat so they wouldn't know it was her.

She noticed the bright blush on both their faces and smiled. When the two finally broke their unintentional kiss, Neji leaned over and asked her something. Tenten blushed even more and nodded shyly. He kissed her on the cheek and she giggled, returning to her earlier conversation. Sakura smiled and turned her sights on Temari, who had observed the whole thing. Temari gulped and held up her hands.

"I already have a boyfriend Sakura…" She pointed to the guy with the pineapple hair. She remembered his name to be Shikamaru. She nodded and looked over at the only other guy that didn't have a girlfriend…Gaara. He turned cold eyes on her and growled in warning. Sakura laughed and nodded her head.

Sakura felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she stood immediately and moved down and sat beside Gaara. As she walked around the table she saw Sasuke clenching his teeth and when she sat close to Gaara she saw his features darken. Gaara looked at her, then at Sasuke. A grin appeared on the red head's face.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "You know…you can't hide behind me forever. Eventually you'll have to tell him you don't like him. Though I quite enjoy his face when you do this…" he brushed the hair away from her ear and blew against it. He felt her shiver and she giggled. She heard growling and looked up to see Sasuke, only his eyes were red.

Sakura stiffened and then unbridled rage ripped through her. Before Gaara could stop her, she was over the table and in Sasuke's face. She tackled him and was using her abnormal strength to pin him to the floor. She started hissing at him.

"You bastard…I KNEW I recognized you. I'd know those eyes ANYWHERE! You're related to Itachi!" she growled dangerously. Her eyes blazed and everyone could tell she was enraged, though no one could understand why.

Just as she was about to choke the life out of him, a child's scream had everyone's attention. "MOMMY!" Sakura's head jerked up and she saw her son running through the doors, a man with black hair chasing after him. Sakura could hear the man cursing at her son.

"Get back here you brat!" the little boy ran with all his might until Sakura jumped off Sasuke and pulled him into her arms. He was crying and dragging his blanket and raccoon. He wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face in her hair.

"Why the hell are you chasing my son!?" she yelled, drawing more attention. The man cursed and backed off the boy. The clicking of high heels sent everyone looking at the door.

"Long time no see Aiko…or should I say, Sakura." a tall blonde in a short skirt, off the shoulders sweater, and high heels sneered. Sakura glared back at the woman.

"How did you find me?" she asked her voice emotionless. She rubbed Tomi's back and shushed him. All of her friends, except Ino were schocked, especially Gaara. But his shock was more for the boy that looked a little too much like him for comfort.

"Did you really think Sasori-danna would let you go? Even from prison he has enough power to drag you back." there was malicious joy in the woman's eyes. Sakura slowly moved back until she was standing in front of the table with her friends.

"What do you want?" she asked sparing a glance at Ino, who was stealthily making her way over. The blonde laughed, flipping her blonde ponytail over her shoulder, her bangs still covering her right eye.

"I want Sasori-danna's son of course. I should have been the mother of his children, not some street walker like you." the woman's superiority made Sakura's teeth clench, but she just laughed at the woman.

"Sorry, Dei, but Sasori's name isn't on Tomi's birth certificate, therefore he has no rights to him. Meaning neither do you." the shock on the blonde's face turned to anger.

"I don't believe you. You were always too much of a goody goody to leave your son a bastard." the blonde put her hand on her hip and smirk at Sakura. Her smirk disappeared when Sakura's friends flanked her. Ino walked up and put her arm on Sakura's shoulders.

"Hey there sis…this witch giving you trouble?" Ino asked and looked the blonde up and down. She looked back at the others and said rather loudly "What kind of penny hoe wears clothes like that in November? She must not be able to afford warmer clothes." The blonde turned red in anger. She walked up to them, intent on slapping Ino, when a growl halted her in her steps.

The blonde looked around to see Kiba, Neji, and Naruto all glaring at her. She snapped her fingers and the guy that had been chasing Tomi stepped beside her. "Get the kid and let's go. I want to get back in time to show Danna what I found." By this time Sakura was fuming. That bitch had insulted her and then called her son a bastard.

A deadly aura was emanating from her. The man hesitated as he approached her. "How dare you…" she started. The woman stopped her retreat and looked back at Sakura. She got an annoyed look and demanded Sakura to repeat herself.

"How DARE you insult my son. You can say anything you want about me, I don't care. But you crossed the line calling my son a bastard." He hissed. She lifted her eyes to the blonde's and made the blonde gasp. Death was staring out through those eyes. Sakura wrapped Tomi in his large blanket and then tied it to her back. She made sure he was secured and then stood before the blonde.

"If you think I am going to let you take MY son back to that insane, murderous rapist you better think again Deidara. Sasori NEVER had any rights where Tomi is concerned because if he claimed Tomi he would have been arrested for raping me." She noticed everyone around them stiffen. She didn't care at this point…her son was in danger.

"My son is not a bastard, but Sasori is not named his father either…now or ever. So you can take your cheap companion ass back to Miami and tell your little 'gang' that if they come after me again, or send one of their WHORES after me, I will pick them apart one at a time until I end up at the gates of the federal prison because Sasori is the only one left." Deidara shifted from one foot to the other nervously.

She finally regained some of her courage and gave Sakura a nasty look. "Well if Sasori isn't named the father, then who's name is on the birth certificate!?" She asked, superiority dripping from her voice. She was unprepared for the answer hse got.

"Mine." Gaara stepped forward. Deidara gasped and stuttered.

"S-Sasori…d-danna?" Gaara growled at her and looked at the boy strapped to Sakura's back. The kid looked so much like him it was scarey. He then did something that no one had expected.

"I'm not this Sasori bastard. My name is on the birth certificate. I'm the only one that looks close enough to be his father besides this bastard you're so hung up on. The child is legally a Sabaku, so I suggest you get the hell out of here before I get angry." He noticed Sakura looking at him with wide eyes…eyes that held immense gratitude.

"I…" the blonde started, but the man she was with moved before she could say anything. He went straight for Sakura, trying to get Tomi. Sakura dodged, grabbed one of the man's arms and swung until she was behind him and grabbed his other arm. Her foot was between his shoulder blades and she was pulling his arms towards her.

She heard him yell in pain but just continued to stare death at Deidara. The blonde looked from Sakura to Gaara, whose arms were crossed over his chest. She then glared at Sakura. "This isn't over. I WILL prove you are lying and then I will take that boy and **I** will be his mother!" She stomped out but she was stopped when Sakura gave a sadistic laugh.

"Don't forget Kakuzu, Deidara." Deidara turned to make a smart remark when she saw Sakura use inhuman strength and break both of Kakuzu's arms at the shoulders. Deidara screamed as his body was thrown into hers and she fell back on her ass. Sakura went back to their table and sat down. She pulled her little bundle to the front, the blanket tied in the back.

The little boy had curled up inside the blanket while his mother had broken the mean man's arms. She was sleeping peacefully, clutching his little raccoon. A semblance of normalcy fell over the cafeteria. Most of the students had already left when this happened, so there wasn't that much gossip…Gaara and the others made sure of that.

Sasuke walked up to Sakura and held out his hand. She looked up at him and noticed his face was very solemn. "I'm sorry that Itachi and his gang hurt you. Me and my brother aren't exactly on friendly terms. Actually we hate one another." Sakura looked at him carefully. She then took his hand hesitantly.

"It was a long time ago. The only part about it that bothers me is that they killed my parents." she said softly. Sasuke hissed and looked away. He nodded and walked away. She took it that he understood how she felt.

Sakura could feel her friends' eyes on her and sighed. She turned to Gaara and blushed when he looked at her. It was the first time anyone had ever seen her blush. Gaara leaned so close to her that his lips brushed her when he talked.

"So…when were you going to tell us you are a mommy?" he asked seductively. Sakura had a hard time concentrating and blushed even more. She shook her head and glared at him.


	9. Explanations

**A/N: (Big cheesey grin) I'm still alive! My big brother helped me with Liz...hehehe**

**Liz: Let me go! You're squishing my insides you chibi heifer! **

**Me: (tears form) I'M NOT FAT!! (cries)**

**Liz: (sweatdrops) Sissy...chibi means little...and with me on my stomach, you do feel heavy...now SCOOT!**

**Me: (stops crying abruptly) Oh...ok... **

Chapter 9: Explanations.

"And just what would you have said if you knew? You would assume that I voluntarily slept with a drug dealing gang member and that I ran away when I found out I was pregnant. I've been through six schools in the last year…they all say the same things. It starts out with the name calling, then turns into excessive flirting, then into physical demands." Sakura muttered and looked at her son. He was so peaceful…she wished she could be that peaceful.

"My son is being hunted by a man named Pein. He's the leader of a gang based out of Miami called the Akatsuki. They want Tomi so they can control me. Each male member is allowed ONE female companion that is aware of the workings of the gang. Sasori stalked me for months and finally abducted me from the daycare I was working at. I was fifteen when he took me to Miami to be his 'companion'. My parents tracked him down and took me back. Several of their higher ups were put in jail when the police raided the house I was being kept at." she stroked her sons hair and everyone just listened. Ino was running a hand through her hair and Temari was rubbing her back.

"Sasori and Itachi waited until we thought we were safe. They broke into our house and murdered my parents in front of me. Sasori drug me into my parent's bedroom and raped me. Nine months later, I was in the hospital and Tomi was born. The doctor knew I had been raped and 'conveniently lost' the paper work of his birth until I could find someone who would sign as his father. He actually gave it to me so that I could stay on the run. I have all of Tomi's medical records and everything pertaining to his birth. As far as anyone knows, he doesn't even exist." she closed her eyes and took a deep breath and let it out.

"Four months ago, a man named Hidan was sent by Sasori to 'retrieve' me. They had not been able to take me with them when they killed my parents because our neighbor heard the gunshots and called the police. Sasori had been arrested on rape and murder charges. Itachi had disappeared." She felt something on her thigh and looked down to see a large, pale hand. She looked up to see Gaara staring into her eyes.

"If you want, I'll sign the birth certificate. I wont demand anything, but at least this way Sasori can't take him from you. Besides, he really does look like a mini me with…only he has his mother's eyes." Sakura saw mischief in those jade eyes. Sakura smirked appreciatively.

"I-If you really don't mind…" she was surprised and pleasantly comforted by his kind act. "You do know that when you sign, you will have to take care of him if anything happens to me, right?" she asked. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, but he just nodded. He looked at Temari, who had little hearts in her eyes while she was looking at the little boy. He noticed all the girls were like that.

"How about we leave now and take care of this. We can claim that you found the certificate while you were unpacking files in your office. We can turn everything in to the hospital and he will be on record." Gaara said everything very quietly. Sakura blushed and looked at her friends. The girls were still gushing over Tomi and the guys were curiously checking the little guy out.

"I guess this means I don't have to hide him from you guys anymore. That makes me feel better. I was starting to feel bad about only Ino knowing, but I had to protect him." everyone looked at Sakura, then Ino, who shrugged. Temari arched a brow and asked Ino how she knew.

"The day in the gym that Gaara got that cheap shot off on Sakura Shizune came in and distracted her. The look in her eyes was that of a mother ready to defend her child. I've seen the look before." Ino shrugged again and smiled.

"You'll have to have witnesses to your little story that you were unpacking. How about we all go back to your place, help you unpack a little, then we all bust up in the hospital in a panic and say that you found the records the doctors had thought they lost in some old medical records." Everyone agreed with Neji's plan and they all started walking out.

Gaara walked with Sakura to her car in the daycare parking lot. Sakura saw the bested glass of the front door and heard the children inside crying. She ran inside and saw Shizune on the ground, clutching her stomach and bleeding from her lip. The children were huddled around her, frightened. Sakura saw Amida, who had a bruise on his face. She knew immediately that Amida had tried to protect Tomi.

Sakura knelt in front of the bigger boy, who was trying valiantly not to cry. As soon as Sakura put her arms around the little boy, he burst into tears. Gaara was shocked…he hadn't even known that the daycare had this many kids. Sakura picked Amida up and looked at Gaara.

"Go get Ino…tell her I need her to watch the kids while I take care of something." Gaara nodded and took off out the door. Sakura put Amida on the couch and put Tomi next to him. The larger boy looked at Tomi, still with tears in his eyes, to make sure the smaller boy was okay. Sakura smiled and got on her knees in front of the little boy.

"Amida…that nice lady that works with me at the café is going to watch you and Tomi while I go make the person that hurt you regret what they did." Amida immediately stopped crying and looked at her when she stroked the hair back from his face. She kissed the bruise and smiled at him. "She hit you when you tried to protect Tomi…didn't she?" He nodded his little head and made her even angrier.

"Don't worry sweetie…Auntie will make sure they regret hurting you." She kissed his forehead and turned just in time to see Ino come in. Ino gasped and ran to Shizune's side. Sakura looked to see the rest of their friends not far behind. Gaara seemed to be fuming about this situation.

Sakura got to her feet and walked over to Ino. She knelt and put her car keys in Ino's hands. Ino looked up at her in confusion. "Ino…I need you to take Tomi and Amida to the Tea Tree. Tell Otoji that they found me. He'll know what to do with the kids. I want you to stay there until I get there." Ino nodded and went to collect the two children. Amida nodded and allowed the blonde to pick him up.

Sakura walked over to Gaara and put her hand on his cheek. He snapped back into reality at that time. "Gaara…I need you to go with Ino and protect Tomi and Amida. Please…just do as I ask…" She said when he would have interrupted. He nodded and went to the couch and picked Tomi up. The small red headed boy stirred and repositioned until his little head was on Gaara's shoulder. He sighed contently and continued sleeping.

Gaara's eyes were wide with wonder and he just looked at the little boy. Ino led him out to Sakura's Skyline and they managed to get both boys in their car seats. When Sakura was sure they were gone, she turned cold emerald eyes on the others. "Temari, I want you to contact the parents of all these kids and tell them it is mandatory for them to pick up their children right now. Do not mention what happened, just that the supervisor became suddenly ill." Sakura turned to all the frightened children and smiled, her face becoming warm and kind.

"That was scary, ne?" many little heads nodded and she smiled even more. "Well, Shizune-sensei isn't feeling too good. Those mean people that came in earlier made her stomach hurt and now she needs to go see the doctor. You want Shizune-sensei to feel better, right?" She watched their little heads nod, and a few smiled. She winked at them and said "Well if you want her to get better, tell your parents to pray for her because she is sick. She will get better in no time if you keep her in your hearts." They all smiled and hugged Shizune before they were taken into the back by Hinata, Tenten, and Temari.

Sakura turned her usual cold expression back to the men behind her. "Kiba, you Neji and Shikamaru set up a perimeter. No one comes in here unless they can prove their child is here. Naruto, you go interact and play with the kids. Hopefully they don't understand what happened to Shizune." She watched as most of them did as she said, but Naruto just looked at Shizune with tears in his eyes.

"Sakura-san…what did they do to her?" he asked, his voice held a quiver. Sakura shut her eyes and turned away. She could tell the woman meant a lot to him.

"She's slowly bleeding to death Naruto. Kakuzu stabbed her in the stomach. She's unconsciously stemming the blood flow by gripping her stomach." She saw the fear in Naruto's eyes and sighed. "Go in the back with the girls. I will take care of her." Sakura put her hand on his shoulder and gave him a gentle push towards the back.

Sakura bent and picked Shizune up, being sure not to disturb the clot Shizune had manage to form in her stomach. "Don't worry Shizune-san…they wont get away with this." She then disappeared.


	10. Mother Bares her Teeth

**A/N: YAY!! Boo is going to help me with my fic!!**

**Liz: Don't call me boo...only Brenden calls me that and he's a baby...oh, and mom when she's retarded.**

**Me: But...but...I called you boo the whole time we grew up...just like you call me sissy...**

**Jstn: Way to go Liz...she's gonna cry again.**

**Liz & Me: o.O what are you doing here Aniki?**

**Jstn: Just hush and make Sis happy Liz! I can't take much more of her wailing...**

**All Three: Sis don't own Naruto**

**Jstn: Who the hell is Naruto?**

**Liz & Me: (sweatdrops) NOOB!! **

Chapter 10: Mother Bares her Teeth

Tsunade gave the teary eyed woman in front of her a bored look and looked at the clock for the fourth time since this wench walked in, unannounced. She sighed and gave the woman the same answer she had for the last twenty minutes.

"Deidara-san…unless you have paperwork to prove your claims, I can do nothing for you. There are no police reports, no records of any kind regarding this child you claim was kidnapped from you and your fiancé. Haruno-san provided legitimate paperwork on the child she enrolled. It proved through multiple blood tests she was indeed the child's mother." the blonde didn't take this too well. Her fake crying ceased and she got an angry look on her face.

"That brat belongs to Sasori-danna, not that two timing bitch. I've showed you all the proof you need, now you get me that child or I will have you arrested for failure to cooperate!" the blonde snarled.

Tsunade stiffened and she got to her feet, slamming her hands on her desk, making the blonde tramp jump. "Look here you little bimbo…you are not going to come into MY school and threaten me because I can't LEGALLY do what it is you are asking. Unless Haruno-san WILLINGLY gives that child to you, there is nothing, and I repeat NOTHING I can do for you." Deidara looked at her in surprise before she tried her fake crying once more.

Tsunade gave the woman a disgusted look and was about to walk out when a body landed between her desk and the woman. The blonde woman quit her fake crying and screamed bloody murder. Tsunade looked around and jumped when a voice from the darkness cut through the silence that followed the blonde's screeching.

"An eye for an eye, ne Deidara?" The blonde whipped around at the voice and Tsunade could see the fear and anger in the woman's eyes.

"What are YOU doing here?" the blonde sneered, then looked nervously at Tsunade from the corner of her eye.

"Repaying you for what you did to Shizune-san. Don't bother calling a medic, he's already dead. I made sure of that after I got every little drop of information out of him." Tsunade noticed the eyes first, then the rest of the figure as it slowly walked out of the darkness. It was only after that did what the girl said register.

"What do you mean 'payback for Shizune'? What's wrong with Shizune?" there was a note of panic in the woman's voice. Sakura looked at Tsunade, then at Deidara.

"Yes Deidara…why don't you tell Tsunade-sama how you went to the Daycare today and had your little pet try to spill Shizune-san's gut on the floor in front of twenty innocent children." Deidara gave Tsunade a nervous glance as the older blonde woman became very quiet.

"Or how about when you backhanded a five year old AFTER you tried to abduct my child. Or even better, how you sent your little manwhore after my son and busted into HER school in pursuit of my three year old." Deidara became more and more nervous as Sakura laid out her underhanded deeds before the woman she'd been trying to sway into helping her.

"By the way…if Shizune doesn't make it…you won't make it back to Miami to see your PRECIOUS Sasori, because I'll kill you on the spot. The nurse said that she should be able to tell me if Shizune would live within the hour…and guess what Deidara…you have 5 minutes left to make peace with yourself." Sakura's voice was cold, but there was anger on Shizune's behalf.

The shrill cry of a cell phone went off and Deidara immediately tried to escape. She was stopped when Tsunade came between her and the door. Tsunade's eyes made Deidara back away. She backed up into something and shivered at the growl she heard from it. She slowly turned and looked up into the cold emerald eyes of an angry mother.

"Seems Shizune is going to be just fine…however…little Amida's cheek bone is fractured." Sakura gave the blonde a sadistic smile and grabbed her long blonde hair.

Sakura looked at Tsunade, who looked relieved about Shizune, but still upset. Sakura cleared her throat and spoke to the older woman. "You may want to leave Tsunade-sama. What I am about to do is gruesome, but necessary." Tsunade nodded and left her office. Deidara watched her last hope walk out the door. She felt Sakura's hot breath on the side of her face.

"I'm going to make you regret ever leaving Miami." there was a sadistic joy in the girl's voice that told her that she had screwed up…big time.

---------------------------------

Tsunade heard the first scream and flinched. She wasn't sure why she had left, but she was too angry at what the bitch had done to Shizune to protect her. Time rolled by and when the young woman stuck her hand out and motioned Tsunade inside, the older woman hesitated. She walked in to see her her office was spotless. The blonde named Deidara and the body that had been there earlier were both gone.

"I am sorry to drag you and your people into this Tsunade-sama." the young woman said sadly, wiping what appeared to be blood from her hands. Tsunade grimaced at the sight and turned her back.

"What exactly have you dragged me and my people in, Haruno-san?" Tsunade looked back when she heard a tired sigh…a sound someone as young as this girl shouldn't be making.

"In short, an all out gang war. I've been running from the same man since I was 15." She said and dropped a large file in the table in front of Tsunade. Tsunade opened the file and fought her gag reflex. She flipped past the crime scene photos to the photo of a young girl with pink hair and bruises all over her body. She was in a hospital bed and was curled up on her side, weeping.

"Who is this young girl? And why is her hair pink?" Tsunade mumbled the last part to herself, but she noticed the smiled on Sakura's face.

"That girl is me at 15...pink is my natural hair color believe it or not. That was right after my parents were murdered. Sasori had raped me…that's how I ended up with my son, Tomi. After Tomi was born, I cut ad dyed my hair, moved, and tried to start over. Meanwhile, Sasori had been put in jail for the murder of my parent and for my rape. He sent one of gang buddies to find me and bring me back to Miami. I managed to dodge the bastard up until Tomi turned three. That's when Hidan found me and tried to force me back to Miami." Tsunade nodded as she looked further into the file. There were all kinds of police reports and news coverage about what had happened.

"That doesn't explain your…other…abilities." Tsunade skirted around the fact that a nineteen year old girl had tortured and killed two gang members. Sakura sighed and leaned back in the chair she was sitting in.

"Hidan found me while I was pregnant. He thought I was just fat, so he smacked me around. I managed to make enough noise to where the bouncer that lived next door came over to check on me. He chased Hidan off and I immediately left, not even bothering to pack more than clothes and pictures. After that, I decided to learn how to protect myself and my son. After Tomi was born, I trained so hard that my body started to wear out. I sought out people through my parent's connections. There were plenty of people my parents knew willing to teach me how to protect myself and my baby." Sakura shrugged like it was no big deal. Tsunade nodded and sighed herself. She motioned to the small bag that Sakura was holding.

"ANd just what is that? A souvenir?" Sakura's eyes sparked and she looked at it with an amused smile.

"Just a little token of Deidara apology for Shizune-san. She felt SO bad about causing her all those hospital bills that she KINDLY gave me her jewelry to help pay them." Sakura smiled and handed the bag to Tsunade. The older woman laughed once and opened the baggy. Her eyes went wide when she saw them.

"Gang whores are pampered, but they have no freedom. Deidara didn't mind not having free will…as long as she could get what she wanted and could fuck Sasori every night. But I had the one thing she wanted…Sasori's baby. Deidara never realized that Sasori was slipping her small amounts of a poison that caused her to become barren." Sakura shook her head and finally stood up.

"I would appreciate citify could keep my…skills…between the two of us. I don't use them unless my son is in danger. If the Military Police catch wind of my abilities, they will try to force me to join them. I've heard they'd even go as far as to kidnap my son. We both know what would happen if they did that." She smiled at Tsunade and grabbed some bundles Tsunade hadn't seen before. With a wave, the young woman disappeared, along with all the bags around her.


	11. Ghosts of the Past

**A/N: Hello all our fans (me and liz)! Liz has been working diligently on the next Paradise Found chapter, but she is eating right now, so i get to play!!**

**Liz: (mmphgn)**

**Me: o.O what?**

**Liz: (sighs and swallows mouthful of ramen) Tell em I said hi...**

**Me: You said all that? sounded more like a choking cat...**

**Liz: (eyebrow twitches) You better run...**

**Me: " not again...I don't own Naru-chan! (runs and laughs) **

Chapter 11: Ghosts of the Past

Sakura outside the café and put her burdens down. One grunted, the other just made a loud thump. She left both to the left of the back door and walked inside. She was met by angry old eyes. She sighed and walked past the old man and towards where her son should be.

"Sakura…what do you mean 'they found you again'? I thought you destroyed all evidence of where you were going." the old man wasn't angry, just concerned. She sighed and looked back at him.

"Otoji…I don't have time for this. There is something I need for Gaara to sign and he has to do it now so that I can take it to the hospital. Oh…and there is a woman wrapped in a large white sack outside to the left of the door. She's the source of today's 'excitement'." she saw the old man's eyes glitter menacingly as he turned and walked towards the back door.

Sakura walked into the break room to see Ino sitting in one of the recliners, Amida fast asleep in her lap. She looked over at the couch to see two red heads snoozing, the little red head curled up against the chest of the larger red head. She noticed Gaara had his arms wrapped around the little boy protectively. She smiled and walked over to the pair.

She gently shook Gaara, who opened his eyes and raised his fist to hit her until he recognized who she was. He rubbed his eyes and looked down at the sleeping child. He blushed as he realized what was going on and where he was. He noticed her smiling at him and looked away, grunting quietly so as to not wake the poor little boy.

Sakura held out the paperwork on Tomi and watched as Gaara took the folder and flipped through it. She saw minute amounts of emotion flicker over his face until he school his expression and looked up at her. "Got a pen?" he asked quietly, rubbing the boy's head when he started fidgeting. Sakura was surprised that Gaara was able to calm the boy so easily…and that Tomi wasn't afraid of him.

Sakura went out of the room and grabbed a pen from her boss' desk and walked back in to see Gaara rubbing Tomi's back and murmuring quietly to the child. Sakura knew then that whatever happened, Gaara would be a good father someday. She blushed at that thought and walked to him, handing him the pen. He signed without a second thought and watched as she retraced her signature and dated for both of them.

They looked at each other and blushed. He was now legally Tomi's father. Sakura looked away and smiled. Gaara just looked down at Tomi, then a thought hit him. "Who's going to watch him during school hours?" Gaara asked quietly. Sakura's head whipped up and the look on her face made his heart ache. She was lost now that things had panned out. Gaara sighed and took out his cell phone. He knew that he was going to regret this, but it was an emergency. He punched in a number and was greeting by shouting.

"Yeah, whadda ya want!?" came a loud male voice. Gaara cleared his throat and wished there was another way, but he knew there wasn't.

"Is Kit there?" He said in a normal tone. There was cursing on the other side, followed by a 'who'. Gaara growled low in his throat and hissed "I need to speak with Aidan right now." his voice was menacing and he heard the man gasp.

"Oh, hi Gaara-san. Hold on a second, I'll find her." Gaara sighed and heard the man screaming on the other end of the phone. He heard screaming and cursing and the sickening sound of laughter. When the phone was picked back up a light feminine voice was on the other line.

"Hello Gaara-niisan. How are you?" she asked in a delighted voice. Gaara sighed and started rubbing Tomi's back as the three year old stirred. He shifted the child to the other shoulder and shifted the phone so he gripped it a little better.

"Kit…I need a favor. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important…you know that. How fast can you get here?" Gaara was as quiet as he could be, but still loud enough so that Kit heard him.

"A favor Niisan? You know it won't come cheap, right? You may be my cousin, but putting up with your brother drives me nuts." she said in a nonchalant tone. Gaara sighed and looked at Sakura, who was sitting in the other chair worrying her lip.

"It'll be worth it. I need you here yesterday Kit. I'll give you anything you want that's within my power. Please Kit…its important." he said quietly. There was a pause on the other side and he knew she was shocked. He had NEVER used that word before. She knew it must have been really important for him to be this adamant about it.

"Aniki…just what is it that you need me to do? You are acting strange…" she said in an equally quiet voice. They sometimes referred to each other as siblings because when Gaara had taken her in, she had been a clan-less fourteen year old. She was now seventeen with an eighteenth birthday coming up. He knew what she wanted and he was perfectly willing to give it to her in return for this favor.

"If you do this for me…I'll give you that birthday present you've wanted since you turned sixteen AND I'll even have Temari and Kankuro sign the papers to make you a full Sabaku, no more of this cousin bull-" he was about to say 'shit' but he stopped as he felt Tomi stir. He looked down into the drowsy emerald eyes of the little boy.

"Kit, I need to know now…yes or no?" there was a pause, then he heard a sniffle.

"You..you mean it? You'll make me part of the family? AND give me travel papers?" she asked with hope. Gaara smirked, knowing she was going to come.

"Yes…you'll be considered a full sibling and you will have the travel papers, with our consent, so that you can track down your father." he said this very quietly, so that the two women could not hear him. The little boy in his lap looked up at him and smiled.

Gaara smiled down at the child, but he was shock when the little boy hugged him around the neck and nestled his little head in the crook of his neck. "Daddy!" the little boy said happily. Sakura's head snapped up then and looked at the two. Gaara heard the line go deathly still. He sweat dropped slightly and looked at Sakura.

"Sakura, come get him. I think he needs something to eat. Besides, I have to finish this call." Sakura nodded and got up. She walked over to Gaara and Tomi. Tomi hugged him again and giggled as Sakura picked him up.

"Bye bye daddy!" the little boy waved at the older red head. Gaara's eyes widened and he waved back at the little boy.

"Bye bye little man." he said just loud enough for the little boy to hear him. He saw the little red headed boy hid his face in his mother's hair and giggle. Gaara could feel a smile pulling at his mouth.

"Aniikiii?" came a sing songy voice. Gaara sighed and put the phone back up to his ear. He knew she'd find out eventually but the tone in her voice was too sweet for his taste.

"Yes, Kit?" he asked with a sigh. She stalled for a second before she spoke again. When she did, he was pleasantly surprised.

"I won't give you a hard time. I just wanted to know what that was all about?" She said in tone that suggested he'd just licked the red off her candy. He smirked and looked in the direction Sakura had taken Tomi. He noticed that Amida and Ino were gone as well. He could now inform her of the situation completely.

"Aidan…this is important and I don't know how long I'vegot to fill you in. Basically, there was a new girl at school and she has a son. The father is a real bastard, so I signed the birth certificate. Now he's my son and both of them are being chased by a gang that the father belonged to. I need someone to help us look after him during the school hours. No one knows what you're capable of, so it would make them think we are vulnerable." he said and glanced out the door, keeping an eye out for Sakura.

"What's his mother going to think about me showing up?" She asked, her tone serious now. He knew that she was taking this serious and was thankful for it. He rubbed his hand over his face and sighed.

"You let me take care of that. You just get here, now. I'll even get you a bonus if you can get here by nightfall." He said, knowing that she never passed up freebies. He heard her yip of joy and then things being thrown about. The man in the back ground yelled and asked where she was going.

"I'm going on a mission you big oaf!" she yelled back at the man. Gaara heard the man sigh and knew that the poor guy was most likely one of the men he'd hired to give her a job until he needed her.

"Kit, you should really be nicer to the people who give you jobs. You never know when they won't give it back to you." He heard her laughing hysterically.

"I'm the only girl he's got that can double as a bouncer Aniki. I also rake in more money than the other girls combined. He's not stupid…he won't fire me." he could hear the smile in her voice and couldn't help but shake his head.

"Get here soon. I have to go talk to Sakura and tell her that I've got help on the way." he was about to hang up when she stopped him.

"Sakura, huh? Pretty name…you sleeping with her yet?" He could just see the cat ears and whiskers on her as she asked this. He stuttered out a hasty no and told her goodbye before hanging up. He went up front and found Sakura, Tomi, Ino, the chubby little boy from earlier named Amida, and an angry looking man with shark-like eyes.

Gaara walked out where they were to see Amida defending Sakura. "Daddy…Sakura-obasan is the one that saved us! This mean lady with long blonde hair hurt Shune-sensei and then hit me when I told her she was mean!" the little boy was waving his hands adamantly.

Gaara noticed the guy stiffen at the description of the woman. He turned wary eyes to Sakura, who looked mortified at what had happened. Gaara walked up behind Sakura and wrapped an arm around her waist, making her squeak in surprise. "Koi…I've lined up protection for Tomi. She should be here soon. I'm sure she wouldn't mind watching Amida as well." Sakura looked up at him as he stared the shark looking man in the eyes.

The man shifted uncomfortably under the red headed man's gaze. Just as Gaara was about to say something Sarutobi walked into the front and walked straight past them to the door. He flipped the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' and walked back into the back. He stuck his head up front and told them to follow him.

Gaara allowed Sakura to pick up Tomi and go ahead of him. He saw Ino pick Amida up and walk into the back. It was just Gaara and the shark man. "What's your name?" Gaara asked him curiously. The man looked at him nervously. He watched Gaara motion him forward and walked ahead of the red headed youth.

"Kisame…you?" he asked, not quite comfortable with this. Gaara smiled at him and told him. He noticed Kisame's eyes darting back and forth as they made their way further into the back. A screech reached both their ears and Kisame stopped dead in his tracks.

"Shit…it IS that bitch. I was afraid this would happen." Kisame said and looked at Gaara, who arched one invisible brow. Kisame looked in the direction the women had taken off in, then looked back at Gaara. He motioned Gaara off into a different section than they had been headed in.

"Look…I came here to get away from a bad past. I was nothing until I got a college degree in business. I now work for one of the top business in the area. I met, fell in love with, and married my wife of eight years while I was working an internship at one of the smaller companies in Kagure. Before I cleaned up my life, I was part of a gang called Akatsuki…it's the same gang that blonde bitch whores herself for." Kisame winced at the anger that blazed in Gaara's eyes.

"Look, Gaara, I was gone long before they got to Sakura. She told me what happened to her so that I would understand why Tomi's biological father wasn't around. She didn't want my wife getting the wrong idea. That happened four, maybe five years after I disappeared." Gaara's anger cooled and he nodded for Kisame to continue.

"Before I disappeared, my partner, Itachi, told me about a guy we were going to hunt down. He had joined Akatsuki and betrayed them for the love of a woman. I didn't want no part, so I skipped town late one night while the others were partying. I left everything behind and ran for my life. If they find me now, my family is in danger. I refuse to lose everything I care about because that blonde bitch is obsessed with a guy that don't even like her." Gaara arched a brow and Kisame sighed again.

"Deidara's been trying to get with Sasori since I was there. She always tried to attract his attention, but he just thinks she's annoying. She thinks she's an artist, but she only really knows how to make small clay birds that she blows up. Sasori considers himself a true artist because his hobby is making puppets. He almost sliced my head of when I called them dolls. Anyway…I can't let her see me…not and let her live."

Gaara smirked at him and Kisame stiffened. He knew that look well. It was the look of someone about to reveal an epic truth. Gaara motioned him to follow and they heard the screeching getting louder. Kisame stalled as Gaara cracked the door. Gaara stuck his head inside and called for Sakura. She walked over to him, Tomi in her arms. She had her hands over his ears as the little boy clung to her front in fright.

"Have Ino take the kids to the break room. Have Sarutobi go with them. The three of us need to talk, then we have a surprise for a certain blonde." Gaara smile made shivers run up Kisame's spine. Sakura arched a brow, but nodded in understanding. She went over to Sarutobi and Ino, the former taking Tomi and covering his ears as the blonde banshee continued to wail. Sakura scowled and took the sock off of Amida's foot where Ino had taken his shoes off while he slept and stuffed the dirty sock in the blonde's mouth, making her choke and shut up.

Gaara moved out of the way as Ino and Sarutobi walked by. Tomi reached his arms out to Gaara, who took hi and held him for a second. The little boy hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Bye bye daddy." the little boy smiled hugely. A slight grin appeared on Gaara face as he handed the little boy back to the old man. Kisame looked on with an arched brow.

Gaara cleared his throat and motioned Sakura to join them. They shut the boiler room and walked back to where Gaara and Kisame had been talking. Gaara put his arms around Sakura and inhaled her scent. She smiled at him and looked at Kisame.

"Kisame-san…is there something you need to tell me?" She asked with a smile. Kisame gulped, then nodded. He prepared himself for the worst.

"Sakura-san…I wasn't completely truthful with you. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you this, but I moved here to escape my past…much like you did. The thing I'm trying to say is that, almost eight years ago I was apart of a gang…the name of it was…Akatsuki." he closed his eyes and waited for her reaction. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes to see her amused face staring at him.

"Kisame…you don't think I spent that long with those bastards and didn't hear about the members they'd lost? You do know that they think you're dead, right?" Kisame was stunned. She'd known and had still befriended him? It was then her words hit him.

"Wait, what do you mean they think I'm dead?" He looked so confused that Sakura couldn't help but laugh. She shook her head and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Itachi faked your death. He knew that you wanted out and told the others that you were killed when you guys went after that guy. They had an alter with your picture in front of it and Itachi prayed for your happiness every day that I can remember." She was still smiling at him. Kisame was amazed.

"I thought you hated Itachi…I thought he was one of the ones that murdered your parents…" Kisame saw her stiffen at the reference and he looked down. Sakura's voice was shaky when she answered him.

"Itachi was in love with you Kisame. He would do anything for you had you asked him to. Itachi is the only reason that I got away from Sasori after my parent's were killed and he is the one that warned me each time Hidan got too close. There were a few times when I didn't get his message in time, but he always kept an eye out for me." Kisame was definitely shocked at that. Sakura gave a humorless laugh and looked up at him.

"In the end, I helped him disappear. Around the same time Sasori was arrested for what he did, Itachi turned himself in. I refused to let him rot in jail, so I convinced him to help me put Sasori away. He handled everything from that end while I was on the run. When everything was done, I used one of my parent's connections to give him a new life. He is blind now, you know. He would never have survived prison." her voice was sad, Kisame noticed. he nodded and thanked her for her help. He had cared about Itachi as well, but he'd no idea Itachi loved him.

"To put your mind at rest Kisame, it doesn't matter if Deidara sees you or not…she's not leaving this city alive." Gaara said the second part just loud enough for the blonde to hear him. He heard the gasp and frantic struggling. He laughed as he heard her chair fall over and the groan of pain.

"Like I said earlier…I've arranged for protection for our son…I would be happy to extend your boy the same protection." Gaara felt Sakura's gasp when he said 'our son' and smiled into her hair. He held his hand out to the older man, who looked at it, then shook it.

"Good…now for the wench's little surprise." Gaara chuckled wickedly. He reached into a crate labeled Halloween and gave Kisame white face paint and red contacts. There was a shredded business suit in the box that he handed Kisame, whose eyes were alight with mischief now. He walked to the bathroom and put on the costume. He walked out and handed his wedding band to Sakura.

"Don't want to get that dirty and I don't want her seeing it. Oddly enough, she pays careful attention to people's hands." He put the red contacts in, then rubbed some of the white paint on his face, neck, and hands. He took some fake blood that was with a vampire outfit and squirted it in the rips that showed his skin. He put a large amount right in the center of his chest and poured some in his mouth and swished it around so his teeth looked bloody. She let some dribble out the corners and smiled when Sakura looked a tad sick.

"Remind me to never let you take our boys trick-or-treating." she said good naturedly and laughed at him. She shook her head and made sure everything was set before she opened the door and let him go in. Her and Gaara were hidden from the blonde's line of view.

They both heard a muffled scream and scraping. They knew the minute Kisame reached down to touch her because they both heard her start crying. Abruptly all noise stopped. They thought perhaps she had choked to death, but when they looked inside, she was swirly eyed and unconscious. Both laughed openly and looked at Kisame, who was chuckling.

"That was really fun…I definitely need to go trick-or-treating with Amida. See how scary I can be…" He laughed and walked into the bathroom to clean up. Sakura leaned back against Gaara and wiped the tears from her eyes. She could feel his chest reverberating with his laughter. She blushed and bolted out of his arms, looking at the floor. Gaara smirked and walked up to her and put his fingers under her chin, making her look up at him.

He smirked and leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. She gasped and he lightly ran his tongue over the inside of her lip. She made a soft squeak and stayed stock still. She felt him push a little further into her mouth and finally gave in, kissing him back. He explored her mouth thoroughly, then broke the kiss reluctantly. He gave her a gentle peck on her lips and held his hand out to her.

"Let's go see our son." He said quietly and smirked at her. Sakura blushed fiercely and put her hand in his, lacing their fingers together. They walked from the boiler room to the break room with a brighter outlook on the future.


	12. Enter Kit

**A/N: HIIIIIIIII...it's MEEE. I did't think of this until after I wrote it, but my real name is Aidan and when my sister told me what my name meant, I wanted that to apply to my character. So, it's not a self insertion, just I like that my name means 'the little fiery one'. It applies to my character and she is nothing like me, I promise! And a reminder, this is a world that is a mix between the real world and the Naruto world, so don't get mad at me if something seems like it shouldn't be in our world or it shouldn't be in the Naruto world. This is my own world and I just stuck them in it... Kagure is a city my sister, Liz, created for her fics, but she said I could use it as some country that is far from the U.S. Let's just say for sanity's sake that where they are is sort of like Japan, but with a Naruto twist... Oh, and I dont own Naru-chan!!!!!!!!!!**

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Chapter 12: Enter Kit

Sakura was sitting at the counter, listening to Ino and Kisame debate business ethics and smart consumer choices. Ino was surprisingly intelligent about such things. Sakura chuckled as Ino gave the older man a smug grin when she stumped him. Sakura looked over to see her son sitting in Gaara's lap, the older red head holding his hands up and letting small amounts of sand swirl between his palms.

Sakura could see the fear in the little boy's eyes, but there was awe and amazement in his large emerald eyes as well. When Gaara made a small sand castle on the napkin in front of them, she heard Tomi's delighted giggle and uneven clapping. She saw a small smile appear on Gaara's face and smiled to herself. She then remembered the 'protection' Gaara had mentioned. She walked over to the two and smiled.

"You enjoying time with Daddy, baby?" she asked and smiled when the little boy nodded emphatically. Gaara blushed when Tomi hugged him around the neck and buried his face in the older man's neck. Gaara rubbed his son's back and pulled him away to look him in the eyes.

"Hey buddy, I need to talk to mommy about a new babysitter. We aren't going to let any more people near you that could hurt you. I promise." Tomi nodded and held his hands out to his mother. Sakura picked him up and hugged him tightly. She walked over to where Ino was sitting with Amida and Kisame.

"Ino, can you watch him while Gaara and I discuss some things?" Ino nodded and took the three year old, smiling and making faces. Tomi giggled and put his hands on her face, screwing it up even more. Sakura smiled and walked back over to Gaara, who was rubbing his face and sighing.

"I don't know if I should be relieved or worried…you don't seem too sure about your decision. I should be thankful, but I have a feeling there is something you're not telling me…" Gaara looked up at her quiet tone. He patted the seat beside him and waited for her to comply. She did and soon they were talking things out, just like a married couple would.

"Look, Sakura, this was my last resort. I don't like calling in favors from this person, but I know she will protect Tomi with her life because it's what I asked her to do." He saw Sakura's eyebrow jump at the mention of the person's gender.

"She?" Gaara could barely detect the jealousy in the question but grinned nonetheless. He shook his head and nuzzled the side of her face.

"Her name is Aidan. When I found her, she was clan-less and abandoned in the backstreets. She was fighting with a bunch of people and it was taking about seven full grown men to beat up one little fourteen year old girl. I took her in and gave her a home. She's kind of like an adopted cousin, but she is going to be family soon." He saw Sakura's curiosity and guessed she deserved to know everything he could tell her.

"Aidan, or Kit as I call her, has no memory of anything before I found her in the alley three and a half years ago. The only clues she has to her past is a locket with a picture of an orange haired man, woman, and little boy; also, there's a tattoo on her back of a large cat climbing up her spine. There are symbols from a long dead language on either side…a very unusual tattoo indeed, and she has had it since birth from what she says. Since I can remember, the only thing she has ever wanted was travel papers to search for the people in her locket." Sakura nodded and let him continue. This girl sounded interesting.

"I did a little digging and found that her parents died mysteriously and her brother disappeared. She was left in an orphanage and ended up going into the family of some crazy military scientist. No one knows what happened, but he just turned up dead one evening and Kit was sent back into foster care. She ran away when she was twelve. There is a two year period where she fell of the radar completely. That's when she turned up with amnesia and inhuman skills." Sakura tried to process this information and looked at Gaara.

"So…you want to put some psychopath with amnesia in charge of my son?" she asked carefully, not wanting him to go on the defensive. She watched something flare in his eyes and noticed he looked over at Tomi, who was giggling.

"I'm putting someone I would trust with my OWN life in charge of OUR son. Kit loves kids, though she'll never admit it, and she would do anything I asked of her…as long as the compensation outweighs the risks. Its how she's survived almost eighteen years of being alone." He noticed her surprise and then her acceptance.

"If you would trust this girl with your own life, then I guess I should give her the benefit of the doubt." she smiled at him and put her hand on his chest, making him blush slightly. "You really care about Tomi, don't you?" she asked with a curious glint in her eyes. He turned away from her in that moment.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said, still not looking at her. He heard her giggle lightly, then felt her warm breath on his ear. He shivered subconsciously and closed his eyes.

"Next you'll be wanting to move in with us…" Sakura couldn't help but smirk at the gasp that came from the red headed youth. She smiled and ran her nails lightly against the back of his neck. She felt him shudder and could hear his heart beat quicken. She nuzzled his neck and arched a brow when she felt his iron grip on her wrist. She looked up at him to see fire burning deep in his eyes.

"Speaking of that…Sarutobi-san was kind enough to inform me of your home address and told me he thought you should be living closer to town with these psychos after you." he looked at her face and noticed the amused gleam in the short woman's eyes. She shook her head and gave a completely un-amused laugh.

"I live where I do BECAUSE of said psychos. I don't want to endanger anymore innocent people Gaara. Besides…I can hold my own on my own turf. If you want to come to the house and check it out you are more than welcome. This Kit woman is more than welcome to stay with me as well." Gaara noticed the hesitant air, but knew Sakura was just trying to be nice. He shook his head.

"No, Kit has…issues. She suffers from terrible nightmares. Tomi would never be able to sleep." He paused at Sakura's smug grin. He then noticed he was acting more and more like a father than a nineteen year old guy. He put on a blank look, which made her outright laugh at him.

"You can't fool me Gaara-_kun_. As much as you don't want to admit it, you really care about my son." She couldn't help the smile that formed on her face.

"Our." he said without thought. He blushed when she giggle at him again. He looked over at Tomi, who chose then to look up at them. Tomi cocked his head and then smile at the older red head. Gaara smiled softly at the boy. He felt something against his chest and looked down to see Sakura hugging him, a smile on her beautiful face.

"OUR son." she said quietly and rubbed her face against his chest lightly. She knew it was foolish, but she was getting more and more attached to this tall, handsome red head the more time she spent around him. She couldn't quite call it love…but she knew that given the chance, whatever she was feeling could possibly blossom into it.

Just as they made their way back over to Tomi and the others, a loud crash was heard. Everyone in the room looked up to see someone fly past the door. They saw a freakishly tall man with silver-white hair helping a man with dark brown hair up. Kisame blanched and grabbed his son, running into the back so he wouldn't be seen. Sakura paled and quickly told everyone to pretend they'd never met Kisame. She promised to explain later and they nodded in agreement.

Gaara stiffened when he heard a familiar voice. "You should really learn how to talk to a lady you stupid prick. Next time you try and get frisky with me, I'll do more than kick you in the face." the growl made Sakura look up from Tomi and stare at the small woman walking towards the shop door.

The bell jingled and a small woman with long hair walked in. The fluffy cap on the top of her hair was black as night. When she turned her head and looked at them, Sakura saw a long red pony tail hanging past the girl's bottom. She smiled brightly and held up her hand in greeting.

"Sup Aniki? You said you wanted me here ASAP, so here I am!" she was around five feet-three, five-five if she was lucky. She had sparkling grey eyes with little flecks of gold in them. She had on a tight black sleeveless shirt and tight black arm warmers that covered her arms from mid lower arm to right under her shoulder. She had on tight black leather gloves and tape wrapped around her wrists. Her camo cargo pants were baggy and had a chain from the left hip to the left back pocket.

Sakura noted the flip flops with a smirk. She'd never seen anyone that wore flip flops in the dead of winter. The girl noticed her looked at her flip flops and chuckled. "I know it seems weird, but my boots are actually sitting on my bike. They are really muddy and I didn't think your boss would want his shop smelling like a mud wrestling ring. I hit a little…interference…on my way here." Sakura arched a brow and noted that Gaara stiffened.

"Kit…what did you do this time?" Gaara sighed and the young woman looked at him with wounded eyes.

"You said it was an emergency and to get here ASAP. Well…only way was to pull out the Talon. Cops don't like my little bird and tried to chase us down. They didn't figure on such a small bike going through umpteen hundred fields and them getting stuck." she said innocently, but not even Sakura bought it.

"You do anything to help them get stuck?" she asked, her eyes narrowing on this young woman with pointed interest. She noticed the younger girl stiffen and narrow her eyes on the woman her 'aniki' was in love with. Kit walked up to the woman and looked her straight in the eyes.

"So you're the woman Aniki was talking about. You don't look like you're too frail to take care of yourself. Just what are you after?" Sakura's eyes turned cold. She held Tomi closer to her and it was then the short woman noticed the little boy. Instantly her demeanor changed as little hearts started dancing in the girl's eyes.

"Holy egg shells! It's a little Gaara! He's so CUTE!" she was eye level with the boy now, who was clinging to his mother's chest. Sakura just blinked at the girl's sudden change in behavior. She looked at Gaara, who shrugged.

"Kit…seriously…did you do anything to prevent the cops from chasing you?" Gaara saw the hearts disappear and a twinkle replace them. She gave him a big smile and looked at Sakura.

"Of course I did Aniki…you know that when you truly need me not even those pitiful wastes of metal and oil will get in my way. You are the only family that I remember having…you are more important to me than my own life." she smiled at Gaara and Sakura could sense the sincerity in the comment. She felt much better about this woman now.

Sakura held her hand out to the young woman. Kit looked at it, then at the friendly smile on Sakura's face. "Sorry about the interrogation, but I've been on the run for a long time. I'm tired of running and now I'm going to fight back. Anyone that Gaara-kun trusts, I trust." Kit noticed Gaara blush and she smiled.

Kit shook the woman's hand and smiled back. "I may seem rough around the edges, but when you've bounced around homes as much as me, you tend to pick up bits and pieces of the people around you. I don't remember much about my past, but according to the agency, Gaara is maybe the thirteenth or fourteenth person to try and take care of me. I stay with aniki because we are the same. We know the same pain and the loneliness it brings." there was a smile on the girl's face and Sakura knew this girl was nothing but upfront and honest.

"Good to know. I guess all three of us have that kind of pain and loneliness in common." Kit looked at Sakura and then something picked up in Kit's mind. She stared and then looked at Tomi, as if she was trying to piece something together.

"Well…I guess. Right now, you best get in the back with the man hiding in the break room. Aniki gave me a few details and I did a little research on my way here. Two members of the gang after you are outside, trying to figure out if you are the one they are after or not. The dark headed one groped me as I passed and I stamped the imprint of my flip flop on his face. The silver haired one is actually kinda hot, even though he's a potty mouth. I smacked both of them around a little and they are regrouping. I'll go out and finish the introduction. You can't hide anymore Sakura. Now is the time to fight back." Kit smirked and dropped her bags. She cracked her neck, then her knuckles and walked out the door once more.

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Hidan just stared at the little shop that the small woman had walked into. It was the shop he and Tobi had been watching because they thought they'd seen their target go in and out. Hidan cursed loudly with frustration. This little wench had escaped him multiple times…it was making him look bad. It was almost like she had a sixth sense as to when he was coming.

As he helped Tobi up, the little woman walked back out, a smile on her face. "You boys got a problem? I thought you were just being rude, but you still haven't left. You looking for something?" Hidan noticed her hands were behind her back. He was very wary of this. Tobi, however, was not so bright.

"What the hell's it to you?" Tobu said lightly, brushing the blood from his lip. He grumbled curses at her under his breath. He then stood up and glared at her. "Why the hell did you hit me!?" he demanded, rubbing his face where her flip flop had left its imprint.

"If you hadn't groped me, I wouldn't have kicked you. It's reflex from where I work. You're lucky though…I usually wear spiked heels." she smiled wickedly at the look on their faces. Hidan blushed at the implications.

"You're a stripper?" Hidan asked, then looked at her again. She wasn't the shortest he'd ever seen, but she wasn't the tallest either. He guessed the most she could be was five-five. At six-two, the silver headed man should be able to easily overpower her. He tried to imagine her in some of the outfit's the girls at the strip club in Miami wore. He could feel the tingle that always signaled a nosebleed.

"Hell no. I don't show off my body…too many secrets." she winked at Hidan, who's eyes widened slightly. He arched one brow at her. She chuckled then and jumped on top of the blue postal box in front of him. "You're cute…what's your name there handsome?" she asked only millimeters from his face. Her being so close made the lightest of blushes appear on his face.

"If you're not a stripper, then why do you wear heels to work? You don't look old enough to work in the corporate world." Tobi was attempting to get the girl's attention off his partner so the silver haired male could regroup. The girl turned her face to look at Tobi, an annoyed look on her face.

"I'm a bar tender. I wear the heels so I can see everyone above the bar. If I hadn't met interference on the way here, I could show you my normal shoes, but since I had to take my precious Talon through sixteen fields to ditch three counties worth of cops they are a little muddy." Both men just looked at her like she was crazy. She then turned her attention back to Hidan, who blushed a little more when she got even closer to him, if that was possible.

"Hey there handsome…you wanna ditch your puppy and have a little fun?" she asked with mischief in her eyes. Hidan felt the blood roll down his upper lip and was about to wipe it away when he saw her tongue dart out and catch the crimson bead. Hidan made a half strangled noise and tried to tear his gaze away. He'd never met a woman quite like this and was not prepared to deal with her.

The woman's fun was interrupted when Tobi tried to grab her. Hidan noticed she growled at Tobi as the dark headed man put his hand on her arm. "Unless you want my aniki to take that arm off you with a butcher's knife, I suggest you get your hands off me…" Hidan looked around and then remembered she had been inside the shop. He looked in and saw the cold jade eyes of a red headed man that was slowly walking to the door.

"Tobi…we should go back to the hotel for now. We aren't even sure she's here. Let's just cool off and get some rest." Hidan wasn't sure why he was so hesitant to attack. Maybe it was the girl…or the fact the man looked so much like Sasori it wasn't funny. Tobi just nodded and released the girl. She handed Hidan a slip of paper and got really close to him…close enough he felt her ample curves. He was certain she could make a life as a stripper.

"Let me know if you wanna have some fun. It's not often a guy catches my eye. It's been ages since I've had a little fun. Maybe a toss is exactly what you need big boy." she whispered in his ear as she put the piece of paper in his hand. She turned and walked into the store again, smiling brightly at the red head that glared out at them. Hidan felt something cold creep up his spine as he looked at the man.

"There is something not right about this Tobi. I've never hesitated in a fight…so why now?" he said quietly to his partner. Tobi gave him a scoff and looked back at the woman.

"You need to get laid…that's your problem. You've refused every companion Pein-san has sent you and you won't take a hooker." Hidan glared over at his partner. Tobi was still new, but it irked him that the orange eyed youth was right.

"I don't fuck women I'm not attracted to Tobi. Unlike you and Kakuzu, I don't fuck just anything on two legs. And before you even start, I heard you and Zetsu in the back room, so you can't deny it. But I do suggest you stay away from Konan. Pein doesn't share his woman with anyone." Hidan knew that Pein was in love with the blue haired woman. She wasn't a companion…she was a member. The only female to ever pass the requirements to become a full fledged member.

Tobi scoffed and looked at him in annoyance. "That woman is nothing but trouble. She actually doted on Aiko, that 's how the little bitch got out." Hidan laughed darkly at the younger man's assumption.

"That's where your wrong young blood and I suggest you not say shit like that around me. You see…Konan is actually my baby sister. Pein doesn't know that, and if you tell anyone you won't make it back to Miami. I've taken great care to make sure she never was caught in the house raid the Haruno's made." Tobi looked at Hidan, who looked like he was debating something.

"What are you thinking Hidan?" Tobi asked and stopped right outside their hotel. Hidan turned and looked behind them. He'd thought he'd felt a presence behind them, but he didn't see or sense anything anymore.

"I'm debating sending you back. You should inform Pein of the happenings here, but I have been chasing Sakura for years. She was in that store, I felt her chakra pattern. However…" Hidan sighed and scratched his head. Tobi wondered what had the older man in such an uproar.

"Hidan…do you want them to send Kakuzu to help you out? I know you guys aren't really on good terms, but he's your partner. I'm just a stand in until Deidara and Kakuzu get back from their wild goose chase." tobi noticed the disgusted look on the silver haired man's face at the mention of the two.

"No offense Tobi, but I couldn't care less about those two. I wish they would both just up and die. But I wonder what had Deidara in such an uproar. She said that she'd found something that belonged to Sasori and that she was going to retrieve it. I wonder why she needed Kakuzu?" Hidan walked into the hotel, not noticing the shock of black hair that was spying on them from the trees across the road.

The shadow disappeared as Tobi turned and scanned the area. He'd thought he'd felt something, but it was gone as soon as it'd come. He shrugged and walked in behind the older man.


	13. Dissension Causes Downfall

**A/N: Sissy just got called to help wrap Christmas presents, so I am going to finish her author note for these two chapters. She wants them posted before the end of the day and is afraid she won't be able to do it, so she asked me. I know she totally OOC'd the Akatsuki members, and I told her she did this, but she said she liked certain members and couldn't bring herself to make them evil, so she did this instead. I know she hopes you enjoy it and you better not flame her or you will deal with my wrath. She's enjoying this tory, so be encouraging or don't say shit about it. Peace out and she don't own Naruto or anyone from that world. Also, she doesn't like cursing, but in some cases i told her it was essential so she did.**

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Chapter 13: Dissension Causes Downfall

Hidan and Tobi arrived at their room and went in. Tobi went straight to the shower while Hidan sat in the bed. He took out his cell phone and called the one person he knew he could trust.

"Hello?" came a sweet voice from the other side. Hidan smiled as he thought of how she talked in front of the others. He knew she was alone just from her tone.

"How's the weather there Hana-hime?" he asked, knowing that she'd know who it was. He heard her giggle and then she spoke again, her smile in her voice.

"Warm as always Aniki. How is Kagure?" She giggled again when she heard his muttered curses. She smiled through the phone and Hidan felt the warmth from his sister's pure soul. It was hard to believe that she was the second strongest member in the whole gang.

"Konan…we have a problem here. Something's off about this situation. Has Deidara and Kakuzu checked in?" Konan heard the forced concern and smiled. She knew that her older brother hated those two and Konan had been working to get them eliminated just so her brother could be at peace. She was actually using her position to both their advantages. She hated being feared and hated by others. She wanted to make the Akatsuki respectable.

"No word as of yet, Aniki…not that you're actually worried. I think we might actually have gotten rid of them this time. As long as Sasori stays in jail, most of the less respectable members are gone. I just need to figure out how to get this all done without Pein finding out." She heard the growl in her brother's voice.

"Aniki…Pein isn't a bad man…he's just confused. I've talked to him many sleepless nights. He's confused, but doesn't know where to start. I did find out that all of this is so he can find something from his past. The money, the connections…he's looking for something over where you are. And…I love him Aniki. I know you don't like him because you think he's using me, but I really do love Pein." Hidan sighed and wiped his face.

"I know you do Hana-chan. That's why I haven't interfered with your relationship with him. And believe it or not, he loves you too. I've seen the way he reacts when new recruits look at you. He gets this possessive aura about him. But you know that if he ever hurts you, I won't hesitate to kill him. You are my baby sister and I will not have him treating you like some slut off the street. If he wants you, he has to marry you…got that?" he said gruffly. He knew she would agree, because she had always done as he told her, with the exception of become Pein's woman.

"Hai, aniki. He knows my views on the matter and he respects that even if he doesn't understand." she giggled whens he recalled their first heavy petting session. He had wanted to take her then, but she had told him that she wouldn't sleep with a man until he was her husband. He had been shocked, but had complied with her wishes regardless.

Hidan heard the water of the shower turn off and lowered his voice. "I need you to withdraw Tobi. There's something not right about this. He's just a kid…he still has time to be turned around. I want you to take him under your wing. Teach him how the gang was before Sasori came along. That devil was the root of all our problems to begin with." He got a grunted response and knew someone was in the room with her.

"Very well…thank you for updating me on the situation. I will talk to Pein-sama and relay your request. Keep up the good work Hidan-san." He smiled at how she was able to turn the situation from being caught in a private phone call to being a business call. He was certain it was not Pein, as she would have just relayed the message right away.

"Konan…" he said quietly over the line. She grunted and he knew she was listening. "Stay away from Zetsu…he bats for both teams and has already made it to home base with Tobi. I'll keep you updated on the situation here." he said louder as Tobi walked out of the bathroom fully clothed.

"Hai…see you after your mission. I'll talk to Pein-sama about what you said." she said loudly, so that even Tobi could hear it. Then, so quiet Hidan had to strain to hear "Be careful Aniki…I do not trust Tobi." Hidan grunted in response and hung up. He scowled at Tobi and threw the phone against the nightstand.

"What was that all about Hidan-san?" Tobi asked, a peculiar glint in the younger man's eyes. Hidan snorted and laid back on the bed.

"Progress report for Leader. Seems that we are taking to long for his taste. He thinks that I'll finish faster on my own. I didn't even have to call and recommend you go back. He has a new mission for you. You leave tomorrow morning at first light. Konan-san said your ticket has been lined up already." Hidan gave Tobi a wicked smirk and stood up, dwarfing the younger man.

"And if you tell anyone of what you learned from me about Konan…What Zetsu did to you will look like child's play compared to what I'll do to you." He saw a flicker in Tobi's eyes. He hated using sexual abuse as a threat, but it was effective when he was so much larger than the younger man. He remembered the whimpering heap Tobi had been when Zetsu had finished with the youth. Seems Zetsu's split personality had a taste for young men and the other half preferred woman and neither could agree with the other, so his partners usually ended up in pretty bad shape.

"Pack your shit kid. I won't hurt you unless you put her in danger. If I hear that anything has happened to her…you will be the next person I hunt." He noticed Tobi stiffen and turn to pack up his bags. Hidan just hoped that Konan could convince Pein to bring Tobi back without either figuring out that they were being manipulated.

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Konan took a deep breath and turned around, looking at Zetsu. Her eyes were cold, like they normally were. "What are you doing in my rooms Zetsu?" she asked with a sneer. She didn't need Hidan telling her to stay away from the schizophrenic monster.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright, Konan-sama. You seemed to be making lots of noise in here. Is there anything I can help you with?" the white half of the creepy man asked. Konan glared at him. This was the half that preferred women. She growled at him and took one of her origami flowers out of her hair.

"Don't make me hurt you Zetsu. Get out of my room or I will turn you into fertilizer." she hissed at the freaky looking gang member. She didn't know who let this creep in, most likely Sasori, but she was going to make sure he was dead…soon.

"You heard the girl, pervert. Get out of her rooms before Leader comes in and finds us here. I, personally, want to keep this body. If you die, so do I." the black half hissed at the other half. Konan remained in her fighting stance while she watched the emotions play out on the white half's face.

"Very well, Konan-sama. Until we meet again." and the creep disappeared. Konan sunk to the floor as she took huge gulping breaths. She hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath. Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of what COULD have happened. She was definitely telling Pein about this little episode.

Konan walked out of her room and towards Pein's 'office'. It was actually just the outer room to his bedroom in the large mansion all the Akatsuki lived in in the Everglades, but that was unimportant. She just wanted comfort and security from the man she loved.

Konan walked into his rooms without even knocking. She heard Pein hissing at something and ran in to find a woman cornering him. She had long black hair and an eye patch. Konan took out her origami flowers and sent them swirling around the woman. The black haired woman screamed as little cuts appeared all over her body. Konan ran and put herself between the woman and Pein.

"I'll kill you for hurting him!" Konan hissed at the woman when she'd seen the woman had stabbed Pein in the shoulder. With a few symbols, the woman was wrapped tightly in what appeared to be a giant origami cat's cradle.

"Who sent you!?" Konan demanded. The woman smiled and looked down at the blue haired woman. She then hissed in pain and looked at both of them.

"Since I won't be getting my payment, I guess it won't hurt to tell you that Sasori hired me to dispatch your beloved leader. He wants control of Akatsuki. Your schizophrenic buddy let me in while he kept you away…but I didn't go undetected by you leader. Seems the freak didn't do his job and now I'm the sacrifice." the woman's breathing became more labored and she looked down at Pein.

"S-Sasori…has…my daughter. Kill…him. She's…probably already…dead…" the woman then passed out. Konan released her and looked at Pein with tears in her eyes.

"Pein-kun…" she hugged him to her, being careful not to hurt his shoulder. She lifted her hands to his wound and a light green glow came from her hands. Pein looked at her with surprise.

"Since when did you learn that, Hana-chan?" he asked, stroking her hair from her eyes. She'd used the flowers that kept her hair out of her eyes to protect him. Her hair now hung down to her waist.

"U-um…I…learned it from a friend. She was teaching me and then she disappeared abruptly. She told me to use it on the ones I loved and only on them. I'm sorry I hid it from you Pein-kun, but I didn't want you to ask me to heal the others. I don't want to touch them…" she looked at the floor, tears falling onto her hands as Pein looked at her.

Pein hugged her to him and rubbed her back. "Hana-chan…I would never ask you to do something you are uncomfortable with. You know that I love you to much to do that." he froze when he realized what he'd said to her. Konan looked up at him and she slowly lifted her face to his. She pressed her lips to his gently and closed her eyes.

"I love you to Pein-kun…more than you will ever know…" she said against his lips before pulling away and going over to the woman. She looked at the woman and realized just who she was.

"Pein-kun…this is…this is Hidan's older sister…" she looked up at Pein, who looked at her in question. She then pulled the wig off. Short, feather-like silver hair was under the long black wig. She pulled the eye patch off and saw the flame birth mark over the eye.

"Pein-kun…this is…my oldest sister…" she said through her tears. Pein's eyes widened in surprise. He thought about the implications and then looked at the floor.

"Why didn't you ever tell me you were related to Hidan?" Pein asked in an emotionless voice. Konan sniffled and looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"B-because Aniki told me not to. He was afraid Sasori would use me against him if anyone ever found out and you know Sasori was never too far from you until he was put in jail…after that, Zetsu was always around and he answer directly to Sasori, despite what you may think." Big tears were falling down the young woman's face.

Pein felt something clench in his chest. He walked over to Konan, who looked away. "I understand if you hate me Pein-kun…but I will always love you…no matter what." she said as she tried to heal her sister. Pein wrapped his arms around her and she gasped. She looked over her shoulder at him and then felt his lips on hers.

"I'm sorry I let my own goals cloud my vision. We will fix his…together." he said while smiling down at her. She smiled and then looked back at her sister, who was shifting.

"Nee-san…are you feeling okay now?" Konan asked lightly. The woman's eyes snapped open as she stared at the two above her. She looked at Pein first, who looked impassive, then at the crying woman with blue hair and silver-blue eyes. Those eyes rang a bell in the woman's mind.

"K-konan?" she asked while staring at the girl she hadn't seen since Hidan had left. He had taken their youngest sister with him. She had only been two and a half at the time. She noticed Konan smile then look up at Pein.

"Pein-kun…she remembers me!" she hugged the older woman, who just stared at Pein. Pein nodded at Konan and put his hand in her hair. The woman saw this and understood immediately. She smiled and hugged her little sister back.

"It's good to see you again joji. You were still a small child when Hidan left with you. Where is that rotten brother of ours anyways?" she asked, smiling at the youngest child of their mother.

"Aniki is on a mission…he told me to check on Pein-kun. He's had a bad feeling for a few days. He said something wasn't right about what was going on." Konan looked at her sister intently. "Nee-san…before you passed out, you said Sasori had your daughter…how did he get her?" Konan let the older woman sit up and listened intently as the woman recounted what happened.

Pein glared as he heard this. he'd never known how much he hadn't known was going on. He'd thought everything was fine from what Sasori had told him…he'd put too much trust in the red head. He returned to hear the end of the woman's tale. "When I came home, Tsuki was gone and there was a note on my table. It told me to kill Pein if I wanted to see my daughter alive again. Zetsu has her hidden somewhere. She's only sixteen…she's probably so scared…" there were tears in the woman's eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

"I can assure you that we will find her. There is only one place Zetsu would hide a woman. He never goes far from the mansion." Pein said and he concentrated. They all noticed rain clouds beginning to form outside. The woman noticed Konan smiling brightly.

"You are so smart Pein-kun! If you can find her with your rain, I can go retrieve her!" she started, but Pein glared down at her.

"You will not be going anywhere that Zetsu can touch you. You and your sister will stay in my panic room until I come and get you. I am the only one that can get in there. I won't chance these bastards using you against me. Sasori knows how much I love you…he'll kill you to get to me…" Pein said it softly and looked at his love's oldest sister.

"I'm sorry you and your family got dragged into this. Seems my subordinates are acting without my permission. I will end this dissension in my ranks." He looked at Konan then, his eyes softening. "I should have listened to you Hana-chan. I should have turned us legitimate while the Haruno girl was still here. Perhaps she could have helped us turn this around…" he kissed Konan gently and led them into the panic room.

"I'll be back in fifteen minutes. I know where she is and Zetsu is making his way out there. I must hurry." he closed the door and disappeared.

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Zetsu knew that he'd failed and that they would be caught. He was going to dispose of the evidence that linked him. When h finally arrived at the small bunker he called his own, he ran in, only to find his playmate missing. In her spot sat Pein, who was looking at him with deadly eyes. Zetsu backed away from him.

"So…you go behind my back and report to Sasori, you kidnap innocent girls and torture without being ordered to, and you tried to force yourself on MY woman?" Both Zetsu's gulped. The black one spoke up in his, if not his other half's, defense.

"I told him that you would be angry if he kept it up, but I'm not the one in control, he is." the white half growled at the black half to shut up. The black half hissed at the white half that he'd been stupid and this was his entire fault. Pein just watched the two, contemplating. He'd been doing a lot of research on schizophrenia and had developed something that he hoped would work. He like the personality the black half of Zetsu possessed, but despised the white half.

Without warning, Pein struck, his eyes glowing. White Zetsu screamed in pain while black Zetsu cringed. It was like they were being split apart. With a flash, the attack was over. Pein looked down and smiled…he'd done it.

Zetsu opened his eyes and found he was extremely disoriented. He also noticed that there was no voice coming from either side of his mouth. He stared at Pein, who was looking at something else. Zetsu glanced at what Pein was looking at and yelled in surprise.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" he was looking at a clone of himself, only the clone had white hair and yellow eyes. The white haired Zetsu shifted and looked towards Pein, who was now looking at the Zetsu who had yelled.

White haired Zetsu followed Pein's line of sight and gasped in fear. "THE FUCK!?" the white haired Zetsu tried to get to his feet, but stumbled around. He sat there, staring at himself, only he had flesh colored skin, black hair, and the normal yellow eyes.

Pein smirked and looked over at the white haired Zetsu. "I like the black side of your personality, but I hate the white one. So…I read up on the condition and used a technique I developed to separate the two of you…that way the black Zetsu didn't have to die when I kill you." he said while addressing the white haired Zetsu. Without another word, Pein destroyed the white haired Zetsu and looked at the black haired one.

"From now on, you are known as Zet. You are no longer the same person you were…the voices you heard are now gone. You are now normal…well, as normal as any of us can be." Zet looked at him with awe.

"Why…why did you help me?" the black haired Zet had to adjust to not hearing someone constantly contradicting what he was saying. He watched Pein shrug and look at him again.

"It's like I told Zetsu, I like you, but I hated him. He is no more, so now you are the only half of that original Zetsu left. You are now Zet and you are free from Zetsu." Zet smirked up at his commander.

"Well…I appreciate it. I really didn't want to die cuz he's a bastard that wanted to take over. I'm content in my role. I tried to save that girl, cuz I just don't go for females, but like I said, he was the one in charge most the time. Only time I got any say was when he was sleeping, when I needed to get laid, or we were drunk." He watched Pein's expression turn slightly pale.

"Don't talk about getting laid around me. Let's just go back and get the others. We are going to destroy the mansion and start over…we are going to Kagure." Pein smiled at the mischievous look on Zet's face.

"That's where that yummy new recruit Tobi is…" Pein just shook his head and they both disappeared. They reappeared and let the two women out. The young girl ran over to her mother and cried. They both disappeared then. Konan just stared at Pein and the black haired Zet. She put her hand on his arm.

"I-is that…Zetsu?" she asked and stared at him. Zet winked at her and then handed her a real flower for her hair.

"Name's Zet now. Pein-san was kind enough to rid me of the female chasing half of me, so now I can enjoy myself without having to freak out when a female comes on to me. The other me liked women…not me." Konan smiled and hugged him.

"YAY!! It's just like having another girl in the house!" Zet just chuckled at her. He patted her head and looked at Pein.

"Actually…I'm the seme in my relationships, but you can talk to me any time you need to." Pein arched a brow and Zet just laughed. "Now, shouldn't get our things packed if we are going to leave this hell hole behind?" Zet left to get his things while Konan looked at Pein in confusion.

"What's going on Pein-kun?" she asked him, watching Zet as he left. Pein sighed and looked her in the eyes.

"We are going to destroy the mansion and go to Kagure. We are no longer the Akatsuki. As of today, the Akatsuki is dead. Sasori has no more influence after I spread the rumor that the gang is gone. He may have a steady following, but he won't have our finances and influence to back him up anymore. I've already set it up so that it looks like all three of us are going to die in the fire. I'll collect the insurance money under the pretense that I'm my own twin brother. I'll have Zet do all the electronic configuring to make us all a new life." he cupped Konan's cheek in his hand.

"I don't want to ever put my children through this…and if I want children, I have to get married. But I won't marry as long as I'm the leader of a notorious gang." He saw the hope fade from Konan's eyes. He kissed her lightly on the lips and then looked down at her again.

"As soon as the house burns and our deaths are confirmed…I will no longer be the leader of Akatsuki…I will be just another man in love with a woman…" he said, as if talking to himself. He went down on one knee and looked at Konan. Zet walked in right as he popped his question.

"Hana-chan…will you marry me and be the mother of my children?" he asked her. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked down at him. She fell to her knees in front of him and hugged him, screaming 'yes' over and over again. Zet smirked and looked at them.

"Everything's set. It'll look like a rival gang tied us all up in the basement and burned the house down around our ears. I've got all the important stuff in my bag and all the technology we'll need to make a new life. You two hurry…I don't know how long things are going to take. Pack up Hidan's things Konan and I'll get Tobi's." there was a lecherous look in the man's eyes that made both of them laugh. They hurried about the house and gathered everything they though pertinent.

Konan gathered their money in one of her bags and everything from Kakuzu's, Deidara's, Sasori's rooms, and Hidan's the few personal items in Hidan's room. She took all of Deidara's clothes that she liked and the jewelry and everything she wanted and rest of the stuff to give to charity. They loaded everything personal in an SUV and Zet took it to the bunker while Pein and Konan got their colleagues' belongings and put them in boxes and putting them in the SUV when it returned.

They had just gotten everything out when the house suddenly caught fire and started to burn very quickly. Pein smiled at Konan and kissed her. He then had Zet drive them to the bunker where they created new identities, ordered passports under those identities and all the things that would make their lives easier. They were soon ready for their new lives.


	14. News Spreads Quickly

**A/N: YAYS!! Finally I got a break and I got Liz off the computer!! She's been writing essays and stuff for her English class and I don't have access to any other computers or to my story, so you can blame her!! Hehehe...anyways...it seems I have the same penchant for dragging things out as my twin, but I like mine better. Hope you enjoy, and remember...if I owned Naruto, I would be rich and wouldn't be in this cold place called Ohio, so it's obvious I don't own Naruto!!**

Chapter 14: News Spreads Quickly

All was quiet in the Florida State Prison's solitary confinement building. A man with red-brown hair was staring at the wall in front of him, a smirk on his face.

"Four days…four days and I will be free…" he whispered to himself while looking at the concrete ceiling above his head. His solitary confinement ended in about an hour, so he would get the chance to see his 'eyes'. He looked at the door when he heard a creaking noise. The guard fell in on his face, his eyes wide with surprise. Sasori glared at the door…he wasn't expecting anyone.

"Akasuna…you should have taken my advice…" said a stern voice. Three people walked in at that time. There were two men and a woman. The woman had Sasori's 'eyes' and was grinning maniacally at him.

"You should have left us out of this Sasori." one of the males said with a sigh. The woman continued to look at Sasori. She then looked at the other two men, her face turning emotionless.

"Constantine, Drake…this one is innocent of the puppet master. He is merely being used. I will return him to his family." she then turned to the red head, who was now against the back wall. "So, Sasori…you wanna tell me where you found this one or shall I rip it from your memories?" she said with a sadistic smile. Sasori glared at her and was ready to attack when he felt restraining arms on his shoulders.

"Don't even think about it Akasuna. You already hurt one of our own…you won't put your hands on this one." A man with green eyes and black hair glared down at him. The other man had silver colored hair and golden eyes. Sasori watched as the girl put her hand on his forehead and it felt like ice picks were being shoved into his eyes.

He fell to the floor when she released him. She motioned the silver haired man to pick up the youth Sasori used as his eyes. "By the way Sasori…the Akatsuki mansion burned down today. There were three bodies found tied in the basement. They've been identified as Pein, Konan, and Zetsu." The man with dark hair smirked at his horrified expression. The mansion was the only place he had…only Pein was supposed to die.

"News says that a rival gang caught the three while they were sleeping and kept them drugged. We don't know the details, but it seems everything in the house was either stolen or burned. There was a small glass rose in the hair of the one identified as Konan." the silver haired man said while he was walking out. Sasori watched as they walked out. The woman was the last to look back at him an there was a smile on her face.

"Also…your puppets, including the puppet of Haruno, were burned. Seems whoever did this was targeting each member individually. Pein's office was blown up, Konan's flowers were burned badly, Zetsu's bunker was blown sky high…they went after the things each member cared about." the woman looked rather pleased with this.

Before slamming the door, the woman looked at him once more, only this time over her shoulder. "You woulda been better off to leave well enough alone Sasori no Akasuna." she said, then slammed the door. He laid on his side and wondered just what he was going to do now. He had no where to run if he broke out, no support, no money, nothing…he was stranded. Sasori laid there and glared at the ceiling…his day was officially ruined.

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Hidan was staring at the ceiling and thinking about what was going to happen. He heard Tobi shuffling about the room, packing for the trip home tomorrow. Their phone rang and Hidan picked it up. "Yeah?" he said and looked at Tobi with an arched brow.

"Turn on the television to channel fourteen." said a voice that seemed familiar, yet completely unknown. The line went dead as soon as that was said. Hidan scowled at the phone, but turned the television on to channel fourteen.

"…an explosion rocked the neighbor's house a good fourteen miles away. Police say that it was an act of arson by a rival gang. There were three bodies found tied in the basement, the identities of the arson victims are not confirmed, however, it is assumed to be the only three members present in the house at the time. The house was ransacked and all the expensive items were taken." said a newswoman with the burning mansion in the background.

Tobi choked and looked at Hidan, whose eyes were wide. He got up and went to the television, clutching the set tightly. "No…no, no, no, no! Konan…" he said as he dropped to the floor with a blank expression on his face. Tobi reached down and put a firm grip on the older man's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Hidan-san…" he said and withdrew. He left Hidan alone in the room and went to the lobby. He had just stepped outside when a figure bumped into him. It said nothing, but walked into the hotel. Tobi just went to the nearest bar to drink his sorrow away.

Meanwhile, Hidan was sitting in the floor of his hotel room, his mind numb but his heart screaming. His baby sister, the one person he loved the most, was dead. He had JUST talked to her…and now he'd never get to talk to her again. Hidan was sitting in his floor when he heard his door creak open. He looked over to see a figure wrapped in all black, a cloak covering the face.

However, he knew the figure was female. He could see the boots that had high heels on them and the 'lumps' around the chest area that signified breasts. With a cry of sorrow, Hidan leapt at the figure, which allowed him to do so. He pinned the figure to the wall of his room after he grabbed it by the wrist and pulled it in.

When he'd banged the female up against his wall, he stared down at her. Even with the boots, the top of her head came to his throat. Hidan ripped the hood away and just stared. There, before him, was the little woman he'd met outside the shop he'd been staking out. The black shock of hair tickled his neck slightly as he leaned into her, feeling her curves against him. He saw something in her eyes that suggested she felt something was wrong.

"Why are you here?" he growled, releasing her and walking away. She stared at him, then looked at the television and observing the mess that was the house he used to live in.

"That your old home?" she asked carefully. She noticed the pain that flashed over his face. She felt bad for him, but she had to know if what she felt was linked to what he was feeling now. "Look…I don't want to seem rude, but not too long ago I fell to my knees in the shop. I felt a searing pain in my shoulder and I had no wound whatsoever." she glared at him with suspicious eyes. He looked up at her, then looked back at the set with horrified eyes.

"My baby sister was in that house…she's one of the bodies they found in the basement." He said quietly, looking away from her. Kit stared at him before walking over to the set and watching closely.

"The identities of the three victims have been confirmed. They were members of the local gang, Akatsuki." the picture of a smiling young woman with blue hair and silver-blue eyes was put up, then the picture of a dual colored guy with green hair and yellow eyes, but it was the last picture that had her: there was a man with orange-red hair, blood red eyes, and lots of piercings on his face.

Kit's eyes widened and she took her locket out and looked at it. The little boy that was in there had the same color hair, but not the piercings. She looked up again and the image of the little boy overlaid the image on the screen. She dropped the locked with a loud clatter and just stared at the screen, dumbfounded.

Hidan heard something heavy clatter to the floor and looked over at the young woman who was standing in front of the screen. He saw the horror on her face and the tears running unchecked down her cheeks. He looked down at her feet to see a large, heavy looking necklace. He reached over and picked it up, looking at the picture inside.

Hidan saw a woman holding a baby with black hair, a man standing behind the woman and a little boy sitting in the woman's lap close to his father. The woman had black hair (I never specified it the first time I mentioned the people in the locket), the man and little boy had orange hair. He looked up at Kit, who was now holding onto the television, her knuckles turning white.

"A-aniki?" she whispered, still staring at the screen. Hidan stared at the little boy in the locket, then at the picture of Pein. His eyes went wide with surprise. Without all the piercings, it was clearly Pein as a little boy in the locket.

"Where did you get this?" Hidan asked with a rough voice. Kit continued to stare at the television screen in horror. Hidan finally growled and ripped her away, only to find arms wrapped around his waist and a sobbing woman in his arms.

"I've spent the last two years looking for my family only to find my parents dead and my brother missing…now my last link to my past is dead…" she wailed, not being able to control herself after such a shock. Hidan's eyes widened in surprise…he'd thought the people inside the store were her family.

"What about the red head from the tea shop?" he asked, trying to disentangle himself from the young woman. She cried harder at this and he just looked at the ceiling, praying for patience. He looked back down at her and his expression softened at the heartbroken look on her face. He patted her head and awkwardly tried to comfort the girl.

"Look…these reporters aren't always right. They could be assuming things. You can't just walk into a scene like that, look around and tell who the victims are without an autopsy and identification from the close relatives." Hidan said, then realized he, himself, had just been moping because he thought one of those bodies was his baby sister. He chuckled and looked down at her. "You just made me make myself feel better…what do you know…" He about jumped out of his skin when his cell phone went off.

He managed to get out of Kit's vice-like grip and get his phone. When he answered it, he gave a huge sigh of relief. "Hello aniki…I'm sure by now you've seen the news of our 'deaths'? No doubt someone informed you from the tone your sigh took. You actually thought Pein-kun would let something happen to me?" there was amusement in the light voice on the other line. Kit heard the name Pein and looked at Hidan, who arched a brow at her. Kit lunged for the phone, but Hidan managed to keep it.

"Konan…I need you to do me a favor…first off, where the hell are you!?" he ran around the bed, dodging Kit once more. He heard Konan giggle on the other end.

"We are on a plane on our way to Kagure." she said as if she weren't supposedly dead. Hidan sighed and scooted away from Kit again. Konan must have noticed all the noise because she asked him about it. "Aniki…what are you doing? Are you fighting with Tobi again?" Hidan growled and looked at Kit.

"No…not even Tobi can make me run around the room like this. It's a crazy chick I met while staking out the tea shop the Haruno woman works at. I assume that the hunt for her is off…at least on our end?" He heard Pein's voice in the background grumbling about Sasori being an obsessed freak and can rot in prison, then Konan's giggling again.

"It's safe to assume that Sakura-chan is not our enemy any longer. By the way…does this woman have a name?" there was a mischievous note in the younger woman's voice that made Hidan nervous.

"My name is Aidan! But you can call me Kit!" she yelled at the phone while Hidan scowled at her. There was a commotion on the other end and a 'What the fuck did she just say' from Pein. Pein's voice became louder until it was apparent he was holding the phone now.

"Who the hell is there claiming to be named Aidan!? What does she look like!?" Pein demanded with the same tone he had run the Akatsuki. Hidan winced as Aidan just arched a brow at the phone.

"Well fuck me sideways…it is you aniki." she smirked, then her face became angry. She grabbed the phone from Hidan and proceeded to scream into it. "Where the FUCK have you been you jackass!? Do you know how many foster homes I bounced around while you were off gallivanting in the U.S. being the small time leader of a big time gang!? Do you know what that fucking psycho Orochimaru did to me!? He implanted a fucking BOMB in my chest you walking pin cushion! And what's with all the piercings? You imitating a lightning rod with that shit? Remind me not to stand next to you when it storms." Hidan's eyes were bugging as the young woman ranted and raved at a man he was sure could kill her if he chose to.

"AIDAN!" Pein finally got that single word in while the young woman was ranting at him. She shut up and just glared at the phone in her hand. When she was quiet, he continued. "The police told me that you, mom and dad all died…I didn't even know you were alive until right now." Kit's eyes widened as she thought about that. Then tears formed in her eyes.

"Aniki…I'm scared…I…I can't remember anything before Orochimaru did his experiments on me. There's a blank spot where he's concerned. I…I don't remember anything…all I have to go from is the locket mom and dad gave me…" Hidan looked at her. She looked like she could break at any moment. He had the strange urge to comfort her, but he stayed where he was.

"Just calm down. I'm on my way to Kagure right now. We will get this sorted out when I get there. I need you to do something for me. I need you to go to the Haruno woman and inform her of exactly what is happening. Tell her that I would like to meet with her and that she can bring anyone she wants that she feels safe with. I have a lot of explaining to do." Kit agreed and looked back at Hidan. She handed him the phone, then disappeared. Hidan looked at where Kit had just been, then at the phone.

"Hana-chan?" he asked, only to be greeted by a giggle and Pein telling Konan to behave. Hidan sighed and hung up the phone, knowing his sister would call back when she realized she'd lost him. He was just glad she was alive.

* * *

Sakura was flipping through the channels in the break room while Gaara was sitting beside her, Tomi in his lap asleep. He rubbed the little boy's back, his eyes closed. Sakura finally got to the news channel only to see black smoke billowing out of a building. Curious, she turned it up just enough for her to hear what was going on.

"…Rescuers say that there were three bodies tied in the basement. The walls collapsed around them, killing them instantly. The house was looted of all the valuables and authorities have declared this arson. The Chief of Police Daryl Strunnam believes this was an attack by a rival gang." Sakura shook her head sadly. She couldn't believe that more innocent people were killed because of gang violence. She was glad she lived in Kagure now.

"The Medical Examiner has released an idea of who the victims were. Seventeen year old Ortomi Konan, nineteen year old Youro Pein, and twenty-one year old Hoto Zetsu…all members of the local gang called Akatsuki. It is undetermined whether these three were involved in the murder of FBI agent Haruno Soto and his wife Diana. The whereabouts of their nineteen year old daughter is still unknown. For NBC International News, this is Tsuichi Kin reporting." Sakura was dumbfounded. She had befriended Konan when she was being held captive by Sasori. She couldn't believe she was dead.

"Oh no…not Konan too…" she said sadly. Gaara could feel her sadness and sat up, looking at her. He put his hand on her arm and made her look at him.

"You okay?" he asked gently. She shook her head and looked down, tears forming in her eyes. He shifted Tomi and held his arm out to her. She sniffled and leaned into him, burying her head in his shoulder. She cried silently while he held her and cooed nothings into her ear.

This was exactly the sight that greeted Kit when she came through the door of the break room. She smirked at them, then sobered when she remembered why she was here. She cleared her throat and waited for them to compose themselves. She beamed at Gaara, who looked confused for his part.

"I won't be needing those travel papers after all Gaara-niisan. But I will need a favor from you instead. This will make us even on all accounts no matter what else you ask of me." He nodded, knowing that it must have been important for her to say that. He wondered what had changed her mind so suddenly.

"Alright…you've got my attention Kit." he said while still comforting Sakura. Kit worried her lip a bit, then looked straight at Sakura.

"I come bearing a message of peace from the man once known as Youro Pein." She saw the look of terror on Sakura's face and the rage on Gaara's. She hurriedly settled both of them. "Look…just listen to what I have to say. There are lots of things going on that you don't know about." she said then pointed at the television. "That being one of them. Pein, Konan and the other guy aren't actually dead. Pein staged their deaths to get away from that life."

The terror left Sakura's face at that. She looked at Tomi, then at Kit. She nodded for Kit to continue. Kit smiled and continued "Pein wants to meet with you and said that you can bring anyone you felt comfortable with. He said he has lots of explaining to do to you and that he assures you that you were not hunted under his orders. Seems there was an attempted coup de-tat by his subordinate Sasori that backfired when Konan walked in and saved him. Nothing Sasori did was under Pein's orders." she finished and sighed, her message having taken a toll on her.

Sakura just stared at Kit, then looked over at Gaara, who still looked skeptical. Kit looked at Gaara then and smiled. "Oh, and I found my brother. Seems that Hidan guy was more helpful that I thought." she gave a silly laugh and put both hands behind her head. Both Sakura and Gaara looked at her. Her nonchalant attitude abruptly ended and she gave them a serious look. "Pein is my brother." She said and watched the shock that spread over their faces. "I won't ask you to make us a part of your family, because it's obvious that you don't like him…at all. But he is the only family I have left and I love him despite the mistakes he's made. All I ask is that you help us make a life for ourselves here." Gaara gave a non-committed nod and looked at Sakura.

Sakura looked at him, then at Kit. She sighed and agreed to meet with Pein. She looked at Gaara and he knew what she wanted. "When and where do we meet with him?" Gaara asked on Sakura's behalf. Kit looked like a deer in the headlights at this question.

"Ehhh…He didn't tell me when…he just said he was on his way to Kagure at this moment. I guess that he'll contact me when he wants to talk to you." she scratched the back of her head. They all heard a commotion in the front room and Sakura and Kit walked in the front while Gaara stayed in the back with Tomi.

Sakura stiffened at the sight of the silver haired and eyed man that had chased her for so long. She scowled at him and he actually had the grace to look away. The dark headed youth with yellow-orange eyes and a slight blush from drinking too much was sitting at the bar nursing coffee. Hidan sighed and looked at Sakura just as Gaara walked out with Tomi in his arms. Hidan choked on whatever he was about to say when he saw the child.

Tobi looked up and his eyes bugged out of his head. He pointed to the kid, then to Sakura. Sakura nodded and took Tomi from Gaara, who crossed his arms over his chest and stood over Sakura's right shoulder glaring at both men. Hidan's face displayed shock, then sadness, then anger. "So…that's why you hid yourself so adamantly. You shoulda just told me you had a kid. I'd have gone to Pein myself and told him that there was no way in hell I was bringing a kid back to that house." Sakura looked shocked, then she laughed quietly so as not to wake Tomi up. Hidan arched a brow at her and she continued laughing.

"You may not have taken Tomi back…but Deidara has been here trying to take him." Gaara's eyes were cold and Hidan actually felt the urge to shiver. It was obvious the red head was the boy's father…by blood or not. Hidan then snorted in disgust.

"So that's where the little whore went off to. She said she'd hit up a lead on something important…not that she was going to try and steal someone's kid." Sakura couldn't help but detect the note of disgust in the man's tone. She cocked her head to the side and looked at him carefully.

"You don't like her do you?" Hidan gave her a look saying she had stated the obvious. He snorted again and looked away with a bored look.

"What EVER gave you that idea?" he said, making her laugh. She handed Tomi to Gaara, who put both arms around the boy protectively. Sakura then walked up to Hidan until they were toe to toe.

"I owe you a little something from when I was pregnant with Tomi." She said, still smiling. Hidan looked at her, then was suddenly thrown out the back door to the shop as Sakura punched him in the gut. Kit just howled with laughter while Tobi looked slightly frightened. Hidan sat up slowly and peered in through the door at them. He got up carefully and walked in, being clear to stay away from her.

"I guess I deserved that." he muttered under his breath. A thought struck him then. He looked at her with wary eyes.

"If you've seen Deidara, then you've seen Kakuzu correct?" he noticed her eyes become cold emeralds. He whistled lightly at the drastic change. "I'll take that as a yes…Kakuzu tends to have that affect on people. You wouldn't happen to know where the greedy piece of shit is, would you? He owes me fifteen hundred dollars and said he'd pay me back when he got back from here." he noticed, for the first time, the blonde that was standing behind the corner, her arms crossed over her chest.

"He's dead." the blonde said coldly. Hidan looked at Sakura, who looked away. Hidan arched a brow with a silent 'what he do this time?' and saw those baby blue eyes on the blonde get even colder. "He stabbed a good friend of ours and almost killed her." Hidan stiffened and cursed colorfully under his breath. He wiped his face with his hands and looked at Sakura again for confirmation. It was Gaara that nodded in affirmation.

"Your blonde friend is passed out in the back. The body of the man that owes you money is gone. You'll never see it again." said an old man that just walked in through the door that headed into the back of the store. Hidan nodded and looked at Tobi.

"Let's get going young blood. I want to be at the hotel in case the others show up. I want to make sure Konan is alright." he said then looked at a curious Sakura and an amused Kit. "What?" he asked with an irritated voice.

"Why you so concerned about her? From what I can remember you were awfully cold to her when the others were around." Sakura's curiosity got the better of her. Hidan chuckled and pulled out a photo. It was of Hidan and Konan side by side, Hidan's hand on top of her head and her smiling.

"Konan is my baby sister. I raised her when we left our clan. Our father became abusive after Konan was born. Most of our siblings were old enough to move out so they didn't get it that much. He liked to beat up on Konan because she was so small and wouldn't fight back." his jaw clenched but he smiled nonetheless. Sakura nodded and turned to walk into the back. Hidan noticed the relief in Sakura's eyes at the knowledge that Konan was alright. He gave her a curious look before he spoke. "You cried for her…didn't you? When you thought she was dead…that's what you're going back there for…to cry…for her. You're happy she's alright…" He was amazed that Sakura could be civil to any of them, much less their leader's girlfriend.

Sakura looked at him with haunted eyes and he gasped at the depth of sadness in them. "Konan was the only person that comforted me while I was in that hell hole. She was the one that prevented Sasori from touching me and she's the one that helped me escape. She went to visit your leader the day that my parents raided the club." Sakura saw the surprise in Hidan's face. She laughed lightly.

"She's also the one that convinced Itachi that what Sasori was doing was wrong, but they couldn't afford to move against Sasori until the time was right. Unfortunately, I was found before everything fell into place, and my family paid the ultimate price for their love for me. It was Konan that warned Itachi every time you were sent on a mission to retrieve me and it was Itachi that relayed it to me. They both knew that Pein was not issuing the orders, but there was never time to inform Pein, as Sasori and/or Zetsu was always there to interfere. Anyone that learned the truth died." she said quietly and retreated to the back as tears started filling her eyes.

* * *

A violet haired young woman watched as her two companions loaded her 'cargo' onto the private jet she would be taking to Kagure. The jet belonged to the corporation they worked for, but this was important, so they were allowed to use it. She arched a brow when Sasori's living puppet began to stir. She heard him moan before the dark haired young man knocked him unconscious once more. She shook her head.

"Constantine…you really should be more gentle with him. He _is_ innocent in all this. We both know from experience how powerful Sasori's mind control is. If we weren't genetically altered, we would be under his control as well." she reminded her companion. The young man scowled at the youth they were loading, then at the woman.

"I would _almost _say you like this guy…almost. Too bad you're a lesbian…you'd make one helluva lay." The silver haired guy, Drake, scowled at this.

"And just _how_ do you know she's a lesbian? She's never presented an interest in women." The dark haired guy glared at the other man, then looked in her direction.

"For one, she's never made a move on any guys, even the ones in the agency. They are always up for a good toss. Second-" he never got to finish because the woman cut him off.

"Second, I turned the I-am-so-hot-worship-the-ground-I-walk-on Constantine down when he asked me on a date. So, obviously that makes me a lesbian." Drake burst into laughter while Constantine scowled more.

"I'm not like that…I just appreciate women. It's not my fault they think I am so sexy." the woman and Drake rolled their eyes at him and then looked at each other.

"I doubt she will remember you, Miranda, but give Sakura-chan our best. It sucks she had to withdraw from the program, but with those murderers on her trail, she didn't need the kind of publicity we bounty hunters bring in." The woman named Miranda nodded and held her hand out to Drake, who shook it, then to Constantine, who kissed her hand. She scowled and wiped the back of her hand on her pants. She walked onto the plane and prepared herself for the long flight.

* * *

**A/N: blushes I forgot that I could make those bars on here...hehehehe **


	15. Brothers Can Be a Handful

**A/N: Lizzy bug has bronchitis, so I am writing on my stories until she can sit up again. They putheron meds that make her loopy...lol. I have been helping her out though. She tells me what she wants on the paper and I type away! Anyways, hope you enjoy!! BTW, I don't own Naruto or any of the Naruto characters!! **

* * *

Chapter 15: Brothers Can Be a Handful

Miranda heard a low moan and looked aver at the couch that was on the private jet she and her charge were currently using to fly to Kagure. She got up and cautiously walked over to the brunette, putting her hand against his cheek. She noticed he turned his face into her hand and groaned, sounding like her touch was a sweet torture for him. She smirked as she remembered what Constantine had said about her being a lesbian. Maybe this young man was exactly what she needed to make the pompous ass realize she is very much interested in men…just not him.

Feeling a tad impish, Miranda ran her hand down his neck, the thick cords of his muscles contracting at her touch, and to his chest. She noticed his back arch as he strained to keep her hands on him. She smiled and put her hand on his stomach, in the vicinity of his navel. He moaned again, making her chuckle wickedly. "Seems I have more of an affect on men than I originally thought…or perhaps it's just _this_man." she murmured to herself.

Miranda let out a squeak when she felt something caress her backside. She looked back to see the man's hand rubbing her leather clad bottom. She glared down at the youth, but gasped when she realized he wasn't even doing it consciously. She could tell by his breathing and the movement of his eyes under his eyelids that he was still unconscious. She arched her brow and stared at him intently.

"You must have either gotten really good at hiding your consciousness OR you picked up this habit because someone takes or has taken care of you for a long period of time." she said dryly and sat on the couch by him. His body suddenly jerked and the hand that had been caressing her hit a table and shattered the glasses on it. She gasped at his bloody hand and took it into her own. She cleaned the glass and blood from it and was about to wrap it when one ruby bead caught her eye.

Miranda stared at it and then groaned, taking the finger it was on into her mouth and using her saliva to seal the cut. She normally never used any aspect of her enhancement for any reason other than to keep herself alive. However, she felt an odd need to take care of this man. She held his hand in hers and looked it over for other cuts. She noticed the calluses on his hand and quirked an eyebrow. "So…the rat bastard has an apprentice in the art of puppetry. I'll have to keep my eyes on this one." She sat on the couch with the young man's head in her lap and closed her eyes. It was going to be a long flight.

* * *

Pein opened his eyes as the voice of one of the many stewardesses on their flight sounded over the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are currently hovering over Kagure International Airport. We ask that you buckle your safety belts, put your trays in their upright positions, and thank you for flying with Kage Air." Pein rubbed his eyes and stiffened when he felt a pressure on his shoulder. He looked over to see Konan curled against his side. He relaxed and smiled down at his young fiancée. He looked up to see Zetsu, _'No,'_ he reminded himself _'it's Zet now'_; he saw Zet flirting with a young man who was looking like he wanted a parachute right about now.

Pein chuckled, waking Konan up. She made a small noise and snuggled closer to him. "Pein-kun…" she whined, stretching sensuously. Pein felt himself harden at the way she was moving against him. He blushed and looked away from her, trying very hard not to moan. She was innocent…she had no idea what she was doing to him. Pein put his hand on the top of her head and pulled her face closer to his chest.

"What is it, koi?" he asked very quietly. No one else heard him except her. She gave him a big, radiant smile. She snuggled closer to him and talked drowsily.

"Pein-kun…what happened to the bunker? I know that you sent Zet and me out into town in disguises to sell all the unwanted stuff from the house, but you wouldn't let us near where the bunker was when we got back." Pein knew this was going to come up, he just hadn't anticipated it coming up this soon.

"Hana-chan…the reason I wouldn't let anyone back to the bunker is because after I cleared all our things out, I put a detonator in it. It blew up an hour after we left for the airport." He felt her stiffen and she looked up at him with fear-filled eyes.

"What if someone accidentally wandered in there!? They could have been killed!" she whispered frantically. She relaxed as Pein started shaking his head. She wondered what he had done to make him so confident.

"Hana-chan…I put a genjutsu over the trail leading to the bunker. Had anyone wandered close, the genjutsu would have put them back at the beginning. If they were powerful enough to dispell it, then they probably deserved to get blown up." he growled the last part. He heard, and felt, Konan giggle at him. He felt her put her head on his shoulder as their plane started descending. Pein looked up as Zet made his way back over, a small pout on his face. Pein arched one pierced brow and Zet sighed.

"There is a seriously lack of hot men that are available." the young man pouted and sat in his seat, buckling his belt. Pein chuckled and shook his head. He knew that this new beginning was going to be a great one. This thought made him laugh out loud, startling Zet and making Konan giggle.

* * *

Eyes the color of dried blood stared at the ceiling, contemplating. He still had one ally, but it would take craftiness to convince the person to help him. Now that his 'eyes' had been taken, his original escape plan was ruined. He winced as he thought about his encounter with the bounty hunters that had put him in here in the first place. That woman was vicious, and he liked that in a wench. He smiled as several scenarios popped into his head.

"Sasori…you have a visitor." came the voice of a guard. He looked up and noticed the guard wore a visor, like all the other guards that patrolled in this area. Sasori stood and waited for the guard to cuff him. Without his puppets, he was little more than a regular human being. He allowed the guard to escort him to the room where visitors were received.

"Good evening, Akasuna-sama." said a young man with silver hair and glasses. Sasori arched a brow at the youth and sat down behind the bullet proof glass. There was a circular intercom type of device that allowed them to talk. Sasori nodded at the youth and looked at the woman standing over the youth's shoulder. Sasori smiled wickedly and put on a seductive face.

"Hey there…hows about you and me go find an empty room. It's been a while since I've had a woman." Sasori noticed a blush cross the woman's features, and she took half a step back from him, but then she smiled wickedly at him and bent forward so he could see her ample bosom. Sasori almost choked…as it was, he had a slight nosebleed.

"Baby…you couldn't _handle _this. As infamous as you are, your opinion of yourself is a little too high. I work, and sleep, with one man and _only_one man…and honey, that _ain't _you." Sasori felt his member harden at the challenge this woman issued. She reminded him of his little Aiko. Memories of the pink haired woman that he had claimed and lost made his loins burn with need. He wanted out of here so that he could find the woman and take her over and over.

Sasori's eyes became cold and he stared up at her. "Onna, there is only one woman that my loins burn for, and as attractive as you are, you do not hold a candle to my Aiko-chan." he noticed her eyes become cold and a sneer lit her face. It wasn't even two seconds before her features were schooled once more.

"You mean Haruno Sakura, ne?" she noticed the confusion that lit his eyes, though his face remained stoic. She laughed at him. "Awww…poor Sasori doesn't even know his woman's _real_ name. I guess you don't know that her parents, the people you killed, were secret agents for the American Government either." Sasori's whole face lit with surprise, then confusion, then finally anger.

"I don't care who her parents were, what her real name is, or anything else you try to throw at me…I want her back. She is _mine_ and I will kill anyone or anything that stands in my way of reclaiming her. Even a two cent whore that I wouldn't even hire at Bones." he noticed the woman stiffen and saw she was about to speak, but the man with the glasses held up his hand, silencing her.

"I apologize for Karin's behavior Sasori-sama. She is very sensitive in some matters. However, our employer has sent us here to…acquire…you. He is in need of your help to retrieve something of his. He is willing to help you get out of here _and_help you reacquire your woman in exchange for your services." Sasori contemplated the proposal for a second, then leaned forward.

"I will help your employer, but I want him to set me up for life outside the city, somewhere the cops can't get me. After that, I never want to see you, the bitch, or him ever again." The youth with glasses smiled politely and nodded.

"He told me to agree to whatever you proposed. He can do this, all we have to do now is get you out. Karin, you know what to do." The man with glasses stood and waited for Karin to take his seat. She sat down in front of Sasori, sneered once more, then started signing. Sasori felt himself feeling drowsy due to her singing. It wasn't long until he was fighting to keep his lids open. He looked up to see everyone but himself, the youth with the glasses, and the woman asleep. He smirked.

"If you would, Sasori-sama, please stand back." the man with the glasses said. Sasori did what he was told and stood back. He watched the man draw a circle with his finger on the booth and suddenly, a large section fell through. Sasori heard the woman's breathing hitch at the sight. He noticed her eyes were dilated, her breathing was heavier and she was staring at the silver haired youth. He smiled wickedly.

"Freedom at last." Sasori took a deep breath and looked at his 'saviors'. He then looked out at the sun sinking slowly over the horizon as they started walking out. He chuckled wickedly and muttered under his breath, "I'm coming for you…hime-chan."

* * *

Sakura felt a chill run up her back. She shivered and looked around, thinking someone was talking about her. She finished cleaning her face in the back room's bathroom and walked out front. She didn't see anyone that would have been talking about her. Ino was serving customers, having refused to go home unless it was with Sakura, Sarutobi was looking unusually serious as he took some sheets of sweets out of the oven that was just out of sight of the customers, and Gaara…Gaara was sitting in a booth with Tomi in his lap, giggling.

Sakura smiled gently at the sight of her son playing with his 'father'. Sakura blushed at the implications of that one word. She also knew that eventually, the rumor would spread that Tomi is his son. _That_would get her a few looks. She saw Tomi's delighted face, free of fear, and the prospect of rumors didn't bother her anymore. She was happy her son was finally interacting with a male and that he wasn't terrified of said male.

"MOMMY!" came a rather loud, happy cry. Sakura was dragged out of her thoughts and smiled as she looked up. Her son was in Gaara's lap waving erratically at her. She waved back and went over to the booth. She looked at Gaara and smiled.

"Would you like anything to drink Gaara-kun? It's the least I can do…" she trailed off as she noticed him tense. She followed his gaze to the door, where Temari was standing, frantically looking for someone. Temari spotted them and ran over, her eyes panicked.

"Gaara…Kankuro's gone missing from the hotel he was staying at. All of his things are still there, but the maid says that he hasn't been in his room for four days now." Temari looked back up as the bell rang and Tenten, Neji, Shikamaru, and Kiba came in. Sakura noticed that Neji was holding tight to Tenten's hand. Shikamaru came over to Temari and put his hand on her lower back.

"Temi-chan…you need to calm down. Getting upset isn't going to help your brother any faster; it's just going to make you sick." The brown haired youth said quietly. Temari nodded and started taking deep breaths. Sakura looked down at Gaara, whose eyes were closed. She saw Tomi's confused face before the boy burst into tears. She was about to pick him up and comfort him when Gaara's eyes snapped open and he hugged Tomi to him, rubbing the child's back.

"Shhhhh…it's alright buddy. Daddy was just thinking. It's okay…shhhhhh." Sakura's eyes watered as she watched the two interact. She had never seen someone care so much about someone they had just met. She felt Temari put a hand on her shoulder and looked back to see the surprise on all the faces gathered.

Sakura had to stifle her laughter when she heard someone mutter that kids really changed people. Sakura gave Gaara a loving glance before she walked behind the counter and got him some green tea. She walked back over and chided everyone to find seats and that she would serve them_after_ she got Gaara and Tomi settled. She heard a few laughs, but it was the surprise in Gaara's face that made her blush.

As Sakura set his tea down, she whispered to him. "You are the father of my child…period. You will always come before the others, in Tomi's eyes _and_ in mine." she stood and smiled at the others. "What would you guys like?" she smiled and took their orders, feeling Gaara's shocked eyes on her the entire time.

Sakura put their orders in and busied herself in making their drinks. She noticed Ino had wandered over to the group and was currently flirting with Kiba shamelessly. She also noticed that Gaara was glaring slightly at the group and covered Tomi's ears on some occasions while he gave a biting comment about making the conversation child appropriate. Light laughter would erupt and the older red head would scowl once more.

Sakura was in the middle of Temari's chai tea when the bell rang once more. She looked over her shoulder and saw Naruto and Hinata. Naruto looked exhausted, while Hinata was looking at him worriedly. Sakura finished the drink, called Ino over to finish, and went up to the couple. "Naruto, are you alright?" she asked softly. She felt her heart breaking when she saw the look on Naruto's face and the pain in the young man's eyes.

"Sh-shizune-ne-neesan…she…she's paralyzed from the waist down." he said and looked at the floor, tears in his eyes. Sakura felt her heart constrict and her gut froze at his words. She put her hand on his shoulder and he calmed slightly. She saw Hinata rubbing his back. Hinata finished telling Sakura what was going on.

"We went to the hospital after the parents had picked up all the children. The nurses know him, so they told him what condition Shizune-san is in. She's paralyzed from the waist down because the knife seems to have hit her spine somehow. She had to have massive reconstructive surgery on her intestines, but…" Sakura could see the sorrow and sympathy in Hinata's eyes. She was about to ask what was going on when Naruto finished for the Hyuuga girl.

"But Shizune-neesan…the doctors…they don't know if they can repair her, but it would kill her if she couldn't have children. They can't bring themselves to tell her that she was pregnant when she was stabbed." Naruto cried for Shizune while Hinata tried to comfort him. Sakura's entire being froze at the knowledge. She turned her eyes to Tomi, who was smiling brightly now. An image flashed in her brain of Hidan man handling her and the pain she had felt afterwards. She couldn't take the thought of losing her child, her baby. Before Sakura could stop herself, she fainted.

* * *

Hidan was staring at the floorboards of the room. He wanted to see his sister…badly. He thought about what he'd learned today as well. He rubbed his stomach and winced as he rubbed the spot Sakura had punched him in. He lifted his shirt and was surprised to see a very large black bruise, the darkest part resembling a fist. He hadn't remembered the girl being so strong.

He looked up when he heard a crash that came from the vicinity of the bathroom. He heard yelling accompanying the crashing. "What the hell are you doing in here!?" came a feminine voice. He remembered the excitement in the girl Pein called 'Aidan'. The red head in the tea shop had called her 'Kit' before the three of them had taken off to await the arrival of their three inbound companions. She had insisted on coming with them so that she could see her brother.

Hidan sweat dropped when Tobi came flying out of the bathroom, a large lump on his head and his eye black. Hidan stood and walked over to the young man with orange eyes. He knelt and scowled, still able to smell the alcohol on the youth. "Not smart going out and getting totally trashed, Tobi. Pein-sama will be angry." Hidan smacked himself in the forehead. He'd forgotten that Akatsuki had been disbanded and that they no longer had to refer to him with that honorific.

"We all have our own ways of mourning…mine was to drink so that I could forget…" Tobi said quietly and stared up at the ceiling. Hidan was about to ask him what he meant by that statement, but his vocal abilities ceased when Kit came walking out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel. She didn't even seem to notice the affect she was having on him…which was a good thing.

"Hidan…can you get me something to put over this so that I can sneak back to the Tea Tree and get my clothes? I kinda forgot to bring any with all the excitement…" he noticed the sheepish look on her face. He stood as if in a daze and turned to the closet. He took out one of the many black robes with red clouds that Pein had been fond of them wearing in public and turned back to hand it to her.

She smiled and slipped the large article over her head and scowled. She looked up at him with a wicked grin. "Be right back, Hidan-_kun_." she purred, then disappeared. Hidan stiffened at the honorific and scowled at where she had been standing. Maybe she _did_ know the affect she had on him. He looked back at the robes and wondered if he should throw them away. He decided against it, just in case they started up another gang under Pein here in Kagure. However, he would be sure that _this_ one would be for the benefit of others.

He was rummaging through his closet when he heard the bathroom door shut. He assumed it was Kit and just kept on rummaging. Several minutes later, he heard a petulant huff. "Stupid pumpkin! He's locked himself in the bathroom! How am I going to change now!?" Hidan froze at the question and slowly turned to stare at her with wide, almost frightened eyes. Kit felt his eyes on her and she blushed, realizing what she had just implied.

"Kit…don't you-" he didn't get to finish as she smiled wickedly and dropped the towel. She was gloriously naked in front of him. Hidan felt his breath stop completely and all he could do was stare at her. She blushed at his intense stare and started dressing herself. He noticed the mesh she put on, the black thong, the skimpy bra…he also noticed that there was a warm trail going from his nose, over his lips and down his chin.

Hidan quickly wiped the blood from his face, staunching the flow of more with the white under shirt he'd been holding when she'd appeared. He saw her giggling at him and decided that he was tired of her laughing at him. He threw the shirt on his bed, content that the bleeding had stopped, and walked up behind her, pressing himself against her as he did. He felt her stiffen as she felt his hard chest press against her. He made no attempt to hide his arousal from her either. Instead, he blatantly pressed it against her, chuckling when she gasped.

"You keep teasing me like that and I will have to make you go through with what you are promising." he said in a husky voice. He had not been planning on saying anything, merely teasing her as she'd teased him. However, the feel of her against him made him want more. He growled low in his throat when he felt her rub against him ever so slightly. He heard her low moan of approval as he rested his large hand on her stomach, his pinky finger touching her navel.

"Keep teasing me and I'll throw you on that bed and fuck you senseless." she said huskily. Hidan's breathing hitched at the violent reaction they had to one another. He threatened her, she threatened him back. He teased her, she teased him back. He wanted to fuck her…he let that thought linger. Remembering that they could have company very soon, Hidan growled and turned her to face him.

"Put your clothes on…what will my sister think if she comes in and sees you like that?" he scowled when she smirked wickedly and put a small, tight fitting yukata on.

"I think you're more worried about what my aniki will do to you if he walks in and sees you getting _frisky_with his little sister." Hidan blushed at the implications she was making. He looked down at her and smirked.

"If I was worried about that…I would have been gone long ago. I just don't want my sister thinking I'm mauling you. She tends to think I can't control myself around beautiful women." He blushed at the smirk that appeared on her face when he called her beautiful.

"Beautiful, huh? If I'm beautiful, then why aren't you jumping on me right now and ravishing me?" she looked…skeptical. Almost like she thought he was lying. He scrunched his brows at her and grabbed her wrist.

"The reason I haven't pinned you to the bed and screwed your brains out is because I have more respect for women than that. I've never been the kind of guy to do that to a woman. Besides, I like to get to know a woman's likes and dislikes before I give her a toss." he smirked as she blushed and looked away. He put his hand under her chin and looked her in the eyes, letting her know he was serious.

"I won't take the chance of you ending up like Sakura-san. What Sasori did to her was the most horrible thing a man can do to a woman. He hurt her in ways no man can ever understand. I won't do that to a woman…especially not one like you. You are special and I have every intention of getting to know you better. So be prepared for this, 'cause honey, I take this kind of thing seriously." he said this softly, edging closer to her mouth as he talked. When he pressed his lips to hers, he felt a jolt go through him. He growled and held her tightly to him. When they pulled apart both of them were breathless. "Get dressed honey; I don't want to kill Tobi because he saw you naked."

Kit blinked at what he said, then burst into laughter as the meaning hit her. She shook her head and picked up the bundle of fabric that looked like a smaller version of the robe he'd given her earlier. He arched a brow at her and she just smirked. She put it over her head and Hidan cursed violently under his breath as it settled around her body.

"Like it?" she asked saucily. He wiped his hand over his mouth and down his chin, biting his lip to keep from reaching for her. He looked her over once more and found himself growling hungrily. The high neck that had hidden his face when he wore it was still there, but that was the only feature of the robe that had remained the same. It was now a form fitting dress with kimono-like sleeves.

She wrapped a white piece of fabric around her middle, then a smaller red piece. She held them together with pins, then put two black buckles on it. Hidan noticed how the simple obi-like sash made her breasts more pronounced. He also noticed the boots she put on with the outfit. One came just below her knee, the other came just above it, leaving just enough of her legs bare to make him drool. He had to close his eyes and count to fifty before he opened them back up. He was met by her amused stare, which made him growl and pull her to him.

"I more than 'like' it, Kit. You're lucky I didn't ravish you when you put it on." He whispered and nuzzled her neck. She giggled and ran her hands over his shoulders, feeling him shiver. Both were startled when they heard a scream come from the bathroom, followed by laughter. They broke apart and went to investigate. Kit jumped into Hidan's arms when Tobi came tumbling out of the bathroom, a man with yellow, cat-like eyes and black hair on top of him.

"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH TOBI-CHAN!" the man cooed loudly, rubbing his face against the orange eyed youth. Tobi, for his part, looked terrified. Everyone's attention was diverted to the door when they heard someone clear their throat. Hidan saw his sister's ecstatic face and Pein's less than enthused face. It was then that Hidan realized how close he and Kit had cut it.

"You can put my sister down now Hidan." Pein deadpanned. Hidan looked down and sweat dropped, having just realized that Kit was in his arms bridal style from when Tobi had been tackled out of the bathroom. He made to put her down, but she made a small growling noise and he allowed her to stay where she was. She smiled up at him and glared back at her brother.

"He's not putting me down while those two are on the floor groping one another…" she said in a similar deadpan voice. Pein arched a brow and looked down to see Zet on top of Tobi, hands wandering. Pein blushed and looked over at Konan, who had the grace to blush and bury her face in his shoulder. Hidan arched a brow and stepped over the two men, vaguely hearing 'senpai' from Tobi, then a few moans.

"They are going to have to get their own room. I am _not_ listening to them do _that_ all night." Hidan growled lowly. A hand on his chest made him look down to see Kit staring up at him with glittering eyes. He hushed quickly and looked away when his sister started laughing.

"So…is this the infamous Aidan that made Pein-kun feel like a scolded child on the plane?" Konan laughed as a slap landed lightly on her backside. She turned to see Pein mock-glaring at her. She hugged him around the waist and smiled lovingly at him. "I'm tired Pein-kun…can I sleep now? We can go see Sakura-chan tomorrow. I'm sure she won't mind." Konan snuggled her nose into the red head's neck, making him blush. Hidan arched a brow and was about to say something when Kit pinched him covertly. He stiffened and looked over at her. She arched a brow and looked down at her outfit…he got the message clearly.

"Hana-chan, you go ahead and go to sleep. I'll inform Pein of everything that has happened thus far, then Kit and I will go inform the others of your arrival." Hidan noticed Pein's suspicious glare and gulped. However, Kit's irritation was a formidable opponent. Kit walked up to her brother and smacked him in the back of the head, causing his chin to lightly smack his chest.

"Aniki…you really need to get your mind out of the gutter. I work for Gaara-oniisan and Sakura-neechan…you can't be causing trouble now…not when I just convinced them to help us get on our feet. And if you decide you want to play hard ball, I can always petition Sakura-neechan to let Konan and myself stay at her house while you boys stay at the hotel with the black haired guy and pumpkin boy." Kit noticed her brother cringe as a loud 'Oh, senpai' resounded through the room. She turned and found the two mostly naked and she turned red…really red. "Oh, for fucks sake, get a fucking room you two!" she yelled. The two stopped, looked around, and smirked at her. It was the black haired man that replied.

"We are in a room…Tobi's to be exact, though Hidan stayed here with him and for that I am jealous, so if you don't want to see us make love, you'd better scat." The man looked back down at Tobi and shifted slightly, making the young man cry out. Chills went up all four of their spines and all of them tried to be the first ones out the door. Pein finally picked Konan up bridal style and slipped past Kit and Hidan. Hidan arched a brow, scooped Kit up, and was out the door, following Pein as fast as he could.

* * *

Gaara was frantic. He had looked up at Naruto, Hinata, and Sakura just in time to see the young mother faint. He had disappeared, Tomi still in his arms, and caught Sakura before she hit the ground. Tomi had been clinging to his father's chest when he'd looked down and seen his mother's white face. He'd let out a screech of terror and clung to his mom.

Now they were sitting in the back room, Sakura's head in Gaara's lap, Tomi lying on top of her, snuggled to her chest, asleep. Every once in a while Sakura would thrash around, like she was in the middle of a nightmare. Tomi would whimper, and for some reason this would calm her. Gaara wanted her to wake up so that he could figure out just what the hell had made her faint. He was thinking over the possibilities when Naruto and Hinata came in, looking a tad ashamed. He noticed both stopped and stared at him. He arched a brow and looked down to see himself running his hands through Sakura's hair.

Gaara blushed and removed his hand. He didn't know when he had started doing that, but he hadn't even realized it was happening. He looked up when Naruto cleared his throat. "Gaara…I…I think that I owe you and Sakura-chan an apology." he said quietly and looked at the floor once more. Hinata rubbed his back and whispered something in the blonde's ear. He nodded and left, leaving Hinata alone with Gaara and the sleeping mother/child duo.

"Gaara-san…Sakura-chan approached us when we came in and asked Naruto-kun what was wrong with him. We had just found out the extent of the damage Shizune-san had taken and Naruto was really torn up about it. When we told Sakura-chan, she got this distant look in her eyes, then she fainted. We have no idea why, but something must have happened to her in the past that Shizune's condition reminded her of. Again, we apologize for any damage." Hinata bowed and left the room, leaving Gaara alone with his son the mother of his child.

Gaara's eyes softened and he reached down to stroke Tomi's hair. The small boy looked so much like him it was frightening. "Blood or not, you are _my_ child…I will not let anything harm you or your mother ever again." Gaara made the promise and his eyes became hard. He would deal with this 'Hidan' that had hunted Sakura. He had a feeling that the silver haired man had something to do with this little episode.

He was about to get up and find the man when Sakura let out a choked sob. "No…please don't…don't hurt…my baby…" she sobbed softly. Gaara's eyes widened and he felt hatred like he had never felt before. Someone had tried to hurt Tomi…they would pay. Not wanting to leave Sakura and his son, Gaara did the only thing he could think to do to make them both feel secure. Gaara laid himself down so that Tomi was between his large from and the boy's mother's smaller frame. Gaara wrapped his arms around mother and child and held them close, letting them relax and feel safe.

Before he drifted off into sleep with his son and said son's mother, he felt his arms contract around the two and heard himself proclaim, in a very possessive voice, "Mine." the growled proclamation was law in his book, and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Drake was walking down the corridor of the agency he and his two companions worked for when a frantic looking Constantine came rushing towards him. "Drake, we have a _major_ problem on our hands." the dark haired young man said, his green eyes shining with concern. Drake knew that for Constantine to be this upset, it could possibly have been World War III. He nodded, but kept walking, Constantine following.

"You remember the reports we got that the military scientist known only as Orochimaru was dead?" Constantine noticed Drake stiffen. He, too, remembered the years that they had spent in the house with the crazy man as his 'foster children'. Drake gave a curt nod, which made Constantine swallow hard.

"The reports say that his body was discovered, face down, in his own home. However…" Constantine saw the stiffening of Drake's shoulders and knew this would not end well…for him at least. "However, there have been recent reports of a man identical to Orochimaru and even using the name, 'collecting' people for some reason or another. He sends his henchmen, a man named Kabuto and a woman named Karin, to 'collect' these people…even against their own will." Constantine noticed Drake's heard turn slightly. Constantine gasped when he saw Drake's normally golden eyes blazing with red striations. He knew this meant very bad news for himself.

"Who has he 'collected' so far?" Drake's voice was very soft, meaning he was close to violence. Neither of them liked remembering their time spent in Orochimaru's 'care'. The only good thing that had come out of it had been meeting Miranda. They had heard that several years after the three of them had run away, Orochimaru had gotten his hands on another child…a young girl. It was after hearing of this that they heard that Orochimaru's body had turned up.

Constantine shrank back slightly, not wanting his friend any closer than possible at this moment. "Well, there were several cases of people coming willingly…Kaguya Kimimaro, Akado Yoroi, Tsurugi Misumi, and several others. The most prominent on the list of willing cohorts is…Akasuna no Sasori." Constantine wanted to crawl into a hole when Drake turned to face him head on, his normally beautiful golden eyes now a demonic red.

"Let me get this straight…the _bastard_ we tracked down for hurting Sakura-chan is _out_ of jail and is most likely going to be looking for her. Not to mention the fact that _Miranda_ is about to walk right into the middle of an all out _war,_and we are _just now_ finding out that Orochimaru is _alive?"_ Constantine shrank back away from his companion, who was on the edge of violence.

"T-that about sums it up, I guess…" Constantine knew what was coming next…and he hated Drake for it. Drake grabbed the black haired youth's wrist and dragged him with him.

"_First_, we are going to call Miranda and have her find Sakura-chan. We can have Miranda there to help her if Sasori comes knocking. After that…" he trailed off, his eyes wandering over the young man behind him with heat in them. Constantine felt sick as an excited thrill went up his spine. He really needed to be shot in the head.

* * *

**A/N: I'm not going to lie, I was a little reluctant to put the last part in, but then again, it kinda fit with the way thesetwo clash. It's a long story (side story at that) and I MIGHT feel like explaining, but then again...lol...hope you enjoyed!!**


	16. Dark Pasts: Wants vs Needs

**A/N: I know it was a long time coming, but we are trying considering it's finals week! BTW, this chapter may clarify some things for you guys. If you get confused, just let me know and I will try to explain things to you. I know I'm a little unconventional with some things, but, I had help. I had Liz do all the lemon-ish scenes cause that just isn't my thing. Hope you enjoy!!**

* * *

Chapter 16: Dark Pasts: Wants vs. Needs

Bright, reddish-pink hair that was unkempt was the only thing that gave her away. She was hard to forget, with eyes that matched her unusual hair. To say she was 'one of a kind' was an understatement, as not only did she have an attitude from hell, but combined with her nasty personality, she could rival a pit bull on the bitch scale. However, right now, she was like putty…malleable and soft. She made a small noise as a certain silver haired medic roughly kissed her.

However, their little tryst was interrupted by a growl coming from the vicinity of the bathroom of the hotel room they were staying in. "Unless you plan on taking care of me next, I suggest you knock it off. It's been a while since I got laid and I'm not exactly known for being a gentleman." a growling voice came from behind. Both just looked up, their eyes slightly unfocused. Kabuto blushed lightly at having been caught, while Karin looked like a pissed off cobra.

"You ain't touching me you dirty rapist. There's no telling what kind of things you picked up before and after you went to prison." she glared and pulled Kabuto closer to her, whispering something in his ear that made him groan and put his head on her shoulder. Sasori noticed and grit his teeth.

"I didn't get anything you stupid little-" he was cut off by a tell-tale smirk from Karin. He wondered what that was all about.

"I noticed you didn't deny that you'd gotten some in prison. You _did_say that it had been a while since you'd been with a _woman_, after all." her insinuation struck him hard and fast and he glared at her. How he wanted to pin her to the wall, fuck her, then leave her lying on the ground broken and weeping. He smiled evilly at the thought and started stalking her.

"You know…there's a reason that they originally put me in that prison. It's true I'm a rapist and a murderer…but there are far worse things I have gotten away with. Sakura isn't the first woman I've taken against her will…and she won't be the last if you keep insulting me. I like a challenge…you are presenting me with one. So unless you want to end up like all the other women I've taken…you'd best keep your fucking mouth shut, bitch." He noticed Kabuto stiffen and put his own body between Sasori and the woman.

"Sasori-sama…as much as I admire you, I must remind you that not only did we break you out of prison, we are helping you to find Haruno-san. I could just as easily put you back in that prison, or worse, tell Orochimaru-sama you did not come willingly. Think over the pros and cons of threatening me and my woman very carefully." Sasori arched a brow. He had to hand it to the kid…he had balls. Sasori let out a chuckle and looked at them through slit eyes.

"You got balls to put yourself between me and a woman, kid. Balls…but no brains. People who come between me and what I want tend to die. You are no exception. If I truly wanted that bitch, she would be under me, screaming by now." He gave both of them an evil smirk, then went into the bathroom once more. Karin looked up at Kabuto, slight fear in her eyes.

"I hate that man…when can we get rid of him?" she asked quietly in Kabuto's ear. He felt her press herself against his back, basically molding herself to him. He bit back a moan and turned to her.

"As soon as Orochimaru-sama gets what he wants, every one of them will be thrown away like the trash that they are. You and I will be free to go, and we will find our peace…together." he whispered and kissed her roughly again. She smiled and hiked her leg up so that it was around his waist. He chuckled and buried his face in her neck.

* * *

"You know that we wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't for Sakura-chan's safety, Miranda. She's in danger if Sasori teams up Orochimaru. We all know how much of a psycho both of them are." red eyes stared directly into green ones. The green ones had a sort of hopeless plea in them…as if begging the woman on the other end of the phone to save their owner. The man with the green eyes had no such luck however. The man with the red eyes smiled and chuckled.

"Yes, Miranda, we will be flying out soon to join you. Yes, I know you don't like leaving the two of us alone. I will tell him, Miranda. Alright…see you soon." His eyes never left the green ones. The green eyes widened fearfully as he put the phone down, never breaking their gaze.

"Drake…you can't do this to me again…" the green eyed man slowly started backing away, almost like he was afraid of being pounced on by a deadly predator. And he was right…at that moment, Drake was very much a predator. A sensual predator.

Drake stalked towards the smaller male, his eyes burning with sensual fire. He caught the younger man's elbow and dragged him closer. The green eyed male winced at the vice-like grip. He lightly struggled, trying his best to avoid what he knew would be coming. Drake pulled the man to him, burying his face in the neck of the green eyed male. He inhaled his scent and groaned.

"You know how sadistic Orochimaru was. I can't control this, Constantine. When I get angry, my aggression rises. You are the only one that can make it go away…the only one that assuages my hunger…" the larger man backed the smaller man to the couch in their office. It had been put in here for this reason…when Drake couldn't control himself anymore. Everyone knew that Constantine was a playboy, but they had never guessed about the relationship the two foster boys shared.

When Drake went into a killing frenzy, it had always been Constantine that had been there to control him. Orochimaru, being the sick bastard he was-is, had made the dark headed boy irresistible to the silver haired Drake. Drake had Constantine pressed against him, inhaling his scent. A few licks on the neck had the smaller male's green eyes glazed over in anticipation. Drake had to muffle Constantine's cry with his shoulder when he bit deeply into the younger man's neck, his oddly elongated canines buried deep…connecting them on a primal level.

Constantine could feel himself slipping. This was always how it happened. Drake's inner was triggered by some outside influence; he would come to Constantine and would trigger the monster in the green eyed male. Slowly losing consciousness, the last thought that went through Constantine's mind was that he hoped he got to be on top this time.

* * *

Miranda knew instinctively that something had been wrong with her two team mates. They were her team mates, her friends…but they were her brothers as well. They looked after her, protected her…she only hoped that things didn't get bad. Having landed in Kagure only a few moments ago, she was helping her 'patient' get into the car that would take them to where Sakura was. She was starting to get excited with the aspect of seeing her old friend again.

Her charge groaned as she settled him in the back of the big black car. She slid in behind him, gave their chauffer the directions, and settled down to nap until they arrived at the café where they had tracked her to. It wasn't hard for them considering they were enhanced. All of their senses were enhanced one way or another. But there were side affects…especially in her. She was more aggressive, more domineering…she was an alpha. She knew that it grated on Constantine's male ego that she was actually the leader of their three man team, but she deferred to Drake, as he was the oldest. If he suggested something, she listened.

She looked out the window and remembered when she'd first met the two boys. They had been wary of anyone that came into the house. However, when the case worker had brought in the little girl, Drake and Constantine had enveloped her, not allowing the others in the house near her. There had been young men, much older than her, that had looked at her like she was a toy. Drake had defended her mercilessly, as had Constantine.

Her brow scrunched as she thought of the two. They had been oddly closer than she would have thought two young men would be. At first she attributed it to the fact they had been in the house, together, since they were small children. Then she noticed how Constantine would cower when Drake looked at him a certain way. She had thought perhaps it was a younger brother deferring to an older.

That's what she'd though…until she had seen for her own eyes the 'relationship' between the two young men. She had been sick because of the drugs Orochimaru had forced her to take. He wanted to see if she was immune to them. She was sick, her system fighting the drugs and barely succeeding. Drake had found her, curled up in a little ball, lying in her own vomit. He had been enraged, his eyes had flashed from their gentle gold to a startling shade of red. He had hissed for Constantine to help him. Constantine had walked in and found her and had felt just as angry. His green eyes had flashed black, no white in them at all.

At first she had feared for her life, but they had held her while she vomited, soothed her aching muscles, hugged her when she cried, and had even forced the drug from her system while she slept. That had been the night that they had run away. Drake had packed a few of their belongings in a duffle, booby trapped their room, and cradled Miranda in his arms as he jumped out their third story window. Constantine had followed, hissing at anyone that decided to get in their way.

She remembered sleeping in a warm sleeping bag by a small fire. A noise had woken her up and she had turned towards her 'brothers'. What she had seen had, at first, frightened her. A red eyed Drake had a black eyed Constantine pinned to the ground, his teeth sunk into the younger man's neck, thrusting into the younger from behind. Miranda had been horrified and had hid in her bag, afraid that they would do that to her.

When the noise stopped, she had seen that both males were sleeping, together, in a bag. She had not questioned them, but she knew it had to do with whatever Orochimaru had done to them…she was sure of it. The morning after she had witnessed this, she had woken to the violent whispering of the two males. Constantine had been hissing about Drake trying to control the 'urge' and Drake had looked a little guilty, promising Constantine he would fight it.

She was about to remember something else when their driver announced they were only a few minutes from their destination. She nodded and looked down at the young man. She blushed when she found she was running her hands through the man's hair. He had his head in her lap and his arms wrapped around her thigh. She blushed at their position…she hadn't even noticed. She scowled at her own stupidity…that's what she got for revisiting the past. She allowed her hands to wander from his hair, to the back of his neck.

That was a mistake on her part, however, because he moaned and arched into her caress. She arched a brow ad was about to remove her hand, when he grumbled. "Feels good…don't stop…" she debated on whether or not to stop, but would rather him stay asleep when he had her in this position that for him to wake up to bitch at her for not continuing. It would be her luck he was a pervert. She 'eeped' when he rolled onto his stomach and he ended up sticking his nose right in her lap. She gripped the back of his head and tried to move him, but he just snuggled into her. She made a disgusted noise and just waited for them to arrive, so she could dump his ass out on the pavement.

* * *

Hidan looked at the young woman in his arms as he ran behind his sister and her fiancé. They were running down the hall to the elevator, which was busy, so they decided to take the steps. With the girl's in their arms, they could move faster, as they could skip four steps at a time. They made it to the lobby in record time, even beating the elevator.

They ran out onto the street, the men gasping for breath. Hidan looked at his sister and ex-leader. He arched a brow as he remembered the telecast he'd seen. "Hana-chan…you and Pein are going to have to do something about your looks. You'll be easily recognized as the dead people from the telecast if you don't." both Akatsuki members looked at one another, and then at Hidan.

"What do you suggest, Onii-chan?" Konan asked as Pein put her down. Hidan thought about it, but was interrupted by Kit.

"I know the _perfect _person to help you guys. If you want to make a life here, you are going to_have _to get to know these guys." Kit's eyes sparkled and he groaned, knowing exactly who Kit was talking about. He rubbed his stomach and winced.

"Kit…I don't think I can take another punch like Haruno gave me earlier. Look at this hit!" he hissed and pulled up his shirt. They all gasped at the large, angry looking bruise on his stomach. Pein whistled and bent to look more closely at it.

"You say Haruno did that to you? No one ever told me she was so strong. I would have tried to recruit her…probably would have alerted me to Sasori's shit a little sooner." Pein sounded bitter and when Hidan looked at him, he found the man staring at Konan. Hidan understood that he had wanted to do as Konan had suggested and make the Akatsuki legitimate, but Sasori had stood in the way of it.

"She wasn't like that when I first started chasing her. I think she trained under someone to become stronger." He didn't want to tell them that she had a son to protect, and that he had chased her, even with said child. He felt guilty as it was and his sister would be livid when she found out. But he hadn't known…Sasori had said if he didn't Pein would punish him. He knew that Pein always kept his word.

"I see…so what made her train? Did you ever hurt her?" Konan's eyes suggested that if he had, she would make him feel it. He sighed and looked at the ground.

"I only hurt her once, and it wasn't on purpose. Some guy was trying to rob her, I stepped in, she panicked and sprayed me with mace. I couldn't see and I knew the guy had a knife, so I just started swinging. I heard her cry out, but I had to make sure the guy was gone. When I could see again, Haruno was on the ground crying, holding her stomach. Then some crazy dude with a baseball bat comes at me, saying I better get the hell away from his tenant or he'll crush my skull." Hidan sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

Pein narrowed his eyes and thought for a second. He then turned to Konan with sympathetic eyes. "I know you probably want to sleep, Hana-chan, but I want to check on Haruno. I need to let her know that I didn't authorize any of this." Konan looked wide awake now and arched a brow.

"After nearly being traumatized by Zet and Tobi, I have no problem doing something to get my mind off that." she shivered and started walking towards the inner part of the city. Kit followed, throwing the cape part of her dress at Hidan. He scowled at it, then looked up. She was smiling at him with an innocent look.

"You're such a sweetie, Hidan-_kun_. Thank you for carrying my jacket." Hidan noticed his sister's surprised look, and couldn't help but laugh at how sneaky Kit was.

"That woman…she's going to drive me insane before this is over, I just know it…" Pein arched a brow at him, and then looked at the little sister he had been searching for so earnestly. Actually, he had been searching for any relative he may have had. She was a gift to him, and he was going to treasure her.

"I can't believe that after all this time…she's alive. Why would the police tell me she died…" Pein looked confused, but Hidan knew why. For the same reason he had left his clan and taken Konan with him. His father had been a police officer and had had every intention of selling Konan to the local nut case, Orochimaru.

"The police here can't be trusted. They are connected to a man named Orochimaru. He's a military scientist that experiments on humans. My father was a policeman and he was the reason I ran with Konan. He was going to sell her to Orochimaru because she wasn't his child." Hidan said it low so that Konan wouldn't hear. He knew he'd have to tell her eventually, but he didn't want to right now.

Pein looked at him and his eyes spoke for him. Hidan sighed and slowed his pace a little more, letting a little more distance between them and their sisters. "My father was a bastard…a low down, good for nothing, dirty cop. My mother didn't want to marry my dad, but he blackmailed her father into making her. He brutalized her, called her horrible names, and even let his friends go at her. That's why Konan is here. One of his friends fell in love with our mother. He helped her get away from the psycho who fathered us. However, he found her and killed his friend, her new lover. He raped her and told her if she ever tried to run again, he'd kill us and make her watch before he killed her. After Konan was born, he tried everything he could to get rid of her, but I was always there to protect her. He tried to do to her what he did to mom, but I killed anyone that tried to put their hands on her." Pein listened intently, hating their father every minute he stood there.

"One day, I found dad cornering her, she was crying and she had a bruise on her face. I snapped…and I killed our father. I dumped his body in an alley, told some local thugs that hated him where they could find him, only I told them he was unconscious. They tore him to bits. I took of with Konan and I raised her. Not too long after that, you found me. I was stealing to provide for her. I recommended her because I knew what she was capable of. I made her swear to never tell anyone we were related because I knew someone would use it against us…or at least me. Sasori thought I was in love with her and threatened her life if I didn't bring Haruno back. I had to chase her…to save my sister." Pein looked ahead at the giggling girls. His eyes softened as he looked at his fiancé and his sister.

"My parents were murdered. No one knows who it was, or why, but they were. I thought Aidan had been killed as well, but I was wrong. The police told me I was the only survivor. The case worker took me and basically sold me to a family in America. I hated those people; with their pitying eyes and stupid assurances…they didn't know anything about me." his eyes were heated now. He looked at Hidan. "It was a good thing you did…protecting your sister. I only wish I had been given that opportunity. Instead, years of being in her life were stolen from me…and for what? So people could make a little money?" they were interrupted by a soft voice. They realized who it was when they found that the two women had come to a stop.

"No…not for a little money. They were paid well for the kids they sent to Orochimaru. In turn, the government paid Orochimaru to create weapons for them…human weapons. He ran experiments on us like we were animals. He laughed when we cried out in pain, he upped the dosage of his drugs when he thought they weren't giving enough results…he tortured us in the worst ways imaginable. He did things to us that made us freaks. Most of us were barely human when we were scattered around after his 'death'. Only he isn't dead…he transferred. He used Hoseki as his new host. He's been alive far longer than any human should be. He has knowledge that no one else has anymore." Kit was staring at something on her arm.

Pein looked over her shoulder and saw a number tattooed on the inside of her wrist. His eyes widened as realization struck…she had been talking in first person…she had been through that torture. Hidan noticed as well and put his hand on her shoulder. She tensed and turned an inhuman looking eye on him. He withdrew his hand and her eye flashed to normal.

"What he did to those children, to me, was something no one…and I mean no one…should _ever _have to endure. I wasn't the youngest, I wasn't the oldest, but I sure as hell was the one he experimented on the most. He said that my eyes held power, held potential. He told me that if I ran, he would hunt me down and bring me back. He would do anything to keep me, even murder the people I love." Pein looked surprised, and then he realized what she meant.

"He…he killed them…our parents…he killed them to get to you…" his voice was soft, sad. Kit turned away from her brother, knowing he probably hated her now.

"Yes…he killed them to get to me. Your eyes weren't like mine when we were little. They were solid, like moms. He made me watch as he bled dad like he was milking venom from a snake. He wanted it to run experiments on more people." her eyes flashed dangerously as she looked at her brother. "I killed the body Orochimaru was in…I wounded him so badly that he had to transfer into a new body. He was going to use me…he was going to take my body, but he can only do that if the body surrenders…otherwise the original soul pushes him out and he dies. He wanted to turn me into a mindless animal so that I would agree because I was obedient." She gave him a humorless smirk.

"Only he didn't count on what would happen if he used dad's blood on me. I mutated into something he couldn't control. I can control any element, move things with my mind, destroy things by looking at it. It's like I'm one with nature…it accepts me." she turned away from them and started walking towards the café once more. "No one knows the extent of my power…not even me. But I will not allow myself to be captured by that monster again. I'll kill myself first." she felt all three of them stiffen as she walked away.

* * *

Zet was curled on his side, Tobi in his arms. He had missed the youth greatly. He hadn't realized how much, but now he knew that he would never be able to be far from him. His baser instincts told him that he was merely satisfying an itch, but something else told him to protect the youth. Either way, he wasn't leaving Tobi again. He felt the young man nuzzle him and he chuckled. "I see I wasn't the only one that was missing someone." he husked and looked down into Tobi's orange eyes. Zet noticed something flash behind Tobi's eyes and he frowned slightly.

"Tobi…what's wrong?" he gasped as he noticed tears in the younger man's eyes. He held Tobi closer and tried to comfort him. "Come on, tell me what's wrong, Tobi-chan…" Tobi burst into tears then and Zet could only hold him. He'd never had his lover burst into tears after sex as amazing as that.

"I…I was…so…s-scared. I…I thought…y-you were…d-dead!" the youth wailed and hugged him tightly. Zet smiled down at Tobi and nuzzled the top of his head. So…Tobi felt more for him than he was willing to admit. His pride bolstered when Tobi made a confession. "W-when I saw…the t-telecast…I…I w-was…I w-went to t-the bar…a-and I g-got…d-drunk…" he managed to get out before he started bawling again.

"So…you mourned me, did you my little uke?" he started running his hands all over Tobi's naked form. Tobi gasped and arched into the touch. Zet chuckled and hovered over Tobi's body. Tobi looked up at him with wide eyes. "Well then…let me show you just how alive I really am…" Tobi squeaked as his lover turned him onto his stomach and proceeded to carry out his words.

* * *

Sakura slowly started to wake up. She felt something warm snuggled up to her chest and heard Tomi's soft snores. She smiled and shifted, so that he was more comfortable. However, something tightened around her waist when she did and it startled her. Her eyes flew open and were met by a shock of red hair. At first, she didn't realize where she was, or who was with her and she almost screamed. However, when the figure made a growled "Tomi, stop moving son, you'll wake mommy up." she knew it wasn't the person she had originally thought.

She allowed herself to wake up more and realized that it was Gaara who had his arms wrapped around her so protectively. She smiled and put her head back down on his shoulder, nuzzling the crook of his neck. She heard him growl and felt a hand on her bottom. She blushed as the hand pressed her closer to the bulge that was situated between her legs. She blushed and bit her lip to hold in the moan she was sure would wake her son up. She felt him shift slightly so that Tomi was now curled up on Gaara's side, hugging the man's side. Gaara shifted more and Sakura found her back against his chest, his knee between her legs, and his arms around her. She squeaked quietly when she felt him wrap a warm hand around her breast and the other situate between her legs. She could feel his bulge against her bottom and blushed even more when he started moving against her. She closed her eyes tightly and bit her lip to keep quiet.

She heard him make a purr-like noise, and then growl something that sounded like 'mine'. She blushed even more when he started rubbing her through her pants. She tried to wriggle free, but he held on, growling when she tried to get free. He stopped his ministrations and pulled her more tightly against him, wrapping his leg over hers. She was pinned, and she knew it. However, she felt his breathing become heavier and she felt him nuzzle the back of her neck. He made the purring noise again thrust his pelvis against her bottom, making her give a quiet gasp. Her hands gripped the jeans that covered his leg and she tugged on them, trying to wake him before he woke her son with his antics.

"Gaara…" she gasped and choked on a moan as he licked her neck. She heard another growl and then a sigh. She knew the moment he was awake because his hand stopped kneading her breast, his hips froze, and she felt his quiet gasp against the back of her neck. She heard his quiet curse and he slowly removed himself from her. He rolled her to face him, embarrassment on his face.

"Sorry…" he mumbled quietly, not looking at her. She took his face between her hands and made him look at her. What he saw made him gasp, almost waking Tomi up. Sakura's eyes were glazed and dark with emotion. Her breasts ached and felt heavy and there was a burning in her core. She needed something only he could give her.

"And here I thought you only liked my son…" she purred in his ear. She felt him stiffen and saw the surprise in his eyes. She smiled and closed the space between them and kissed him. She heard his growl and felt him deepen the kiss. Just as things were getting interesting, there was a knock.

However, the knock was not on the door, it was on the wall. Sakura jumped, hitting Gaara, who in turn made a loud 'ouch' noise, waking Tomi. Tomi looked up to see his mommy hovering over his daddy, asking if he was alright. Tomi cocked his head and looked at the two of them. They seemed different to the little boy…Tomi had seen how Amida's parents interacted and that was how his mommy and his new daddy were acting. He smiled sleepily and rested his head on his daddy's chest.

Gaara noticed that Tomi woke up, looked at them, and then laid his little head on the older red head's chest. He held his hands to his face, where he'd been hit, and looked down at the child. A smile crept its way onto the man's face and he looked up at Sakura, who looked a little surprised. "I think he likes you, too, Gaara-kun…" she whispered, making him blush. He looked down at the little boy and felt warmth spread through him that he had never felt before. He looked up into the soft eyes of the boy's mother and found that he wanted something more…something he was never given as a child.

Gaara's breathing stopped when he thought about how his father had abandoned him and his older siblings. He didn't want that for Tomi. Impulsively, Gaara reached up and grasped some of her hair, leading her closer to him. She blushed the closer her face came to his. He smirked, thinking her cute for being so shy. Before she could say anything Gaara kissed her, almost violently. She gave a surprised little squeak and put her hand on the side of his face, as if trying to make him let her go.

Gaara finally released her when he sensed she needed to breathe. He held the back of her head, their foreheads touching. After a few minutes, he looked her in the eyes. She looked shocked and slightly scandalized. He smirked and nuzzled the side of her face. He kissed her lightly on the lips, and then spoke to her. "Better get back to work…it's going to be a long night ahead…" he looked at the clock to emphasize his point. She gasped as she saw it was almost seven o'clock…she'd be off in about another hour.

Gaara chuckled as she rushed out of the room with a hasty goodbye. Gaara shifted a little and brought Tomi into his arms again. He let the little boy lay on his chest, still asleep. He rubbed the child's back when he stirred and stared at the ceiling, thinking. "I wonder if I can talk her into moving in with me…" was the last thing he said before he drifted off to sleep again.

* * *

**A/N: If you are confused about the whole Hidan hitting Sakura deal, I'll explain...there was only one incident where he actually HIT her. He's pushed her several times, but he never really hurt her when he pushed her. The incident that Sakura talks about with the bouncer was a pushing incident. The mugger was the only time he ever really HURT her. Now that it's been clarified...REVIEW PLZ!!  
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	17. Truths and Lies

**A/N: Long time no see...er, write, I guess. Anyways, Lizzy is suffering an extreme case of the working blues and has no time to write atm, and I'm bored, so I'm going to be working on both our stories. She's been writing things out on notebook paper, but her boss kinda gets mad when she's not paying attention. Hope you enjoy and if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask me!!**

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Chapter 17: Truths and Lies

Ino was wiping down the counter and getting ready to leave when Sakura came bolting up front. She looked frantic and Ino couldn't help but laugh. Sakura looked at her, smiled, and then headed over. Ino shook her head and eyed the people walking up to the counter. "Sakura, think you can get these nice folks something to drink while I go find Sarutobi-jijii?" Sakura nodded and straightened out her apron. She smiled and faced towards the oncoming customers.

"Hello and welcome to The Tea Tree Café. What can I get for you today?" she asked sweetly, her eyes closed as she smiled at the people. She opened her eyes when someone cleared their throat. She didn't know these people, but they acted as if they knew her. She noticed one had a uniform on.

"Haruno Sakura?" one man asked, his face impassive. She took in the sight and knew immediately they were the Military Police. Her face remained the same, but her body stiffened. She cocked her head, playing dumb.

"Yes sir…I'm Haruno Sakura. What's this about? Who are you?" the man looked slightly startled. He was informed that she was extremely perceptive. Maybe his source had mistaken the girl's identity. He cleared his throat and scowled.

"I was informed you have…unique…abilities. We would like to employ those skills for ourselves." He worded it so that she couldn't possibly get out of it without outright lying. He noticed her eyebrow arch and she put her hand to her chin, as if thinking.

"Well, I do make a mean Chocolate Strawberry cheesecake, but other than that, nothing really unique." she smiled at them again, her face the perfect display of innocence. He noticed an old man walk up to the young girl…an old man he knew and dared not offend.

"Sarutobi-sama. It's good to see you once more." He noticed the narrowed eyes of the man, who had his hand on the young woman's shoulder.

"Danzo. It's been a long time. What can I do for you?" Danzo felt his jaw clench when the man made no further inclination towards courtesy. He stared at Sakura, who was looking up at Sarutobi with confusion. He watched as Sarutobi smiled at her and put his hand on her head.

"Mei…go get me more creamer from the back. Your friends would like lattes." Sakura smiled up at him, realizing he was creating a ruse to throw the military off. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Hai, Otoji." she smiled sweetly and went into the back. When she was gone, Sarutobi looked back at Danzo. He scowled at the military man, his displeasure obvious.

"I thought I told the military to never step foot in my town again, Danzo. You are no exception." Sarutobi noticed Danzo stiffen and knew he'd caught the man between a rock and a hard place. He glared at the Military Police that trailed after Danzo. It was causing his customers to get nervous.

"The Military goes where it may, Sarutobi-sama. This town is no exception. When we get reports of exceptional talent, we find it and take it for our own use." Danzo was as respectful as he could tolerate, but there was still threat there. Sarutobi narrowed his eyes once more and reached under the counter. Danzo stiffened until he saw Sarutobi take out a large, leather-bound book.

Sarutobi slapped the book on the top of the counter, still glaring at Danzo. He opened it and leafed through until he found what he was looking for. He began reading. "Treaty of Konoha, paragraph 12, lines 6 through 8: 'Under no circumstances are the Military Police or anyone in association with the Military to enter the premises of Konoha, or the seat of Konoha, Kagure. Talents found in the area are to be ignored, no matter how promising or enticing. Failure to honor these conditions will result in the immediate discharge of all Military personnel involved and the execution of the Superior Officer at fault'." Sarutobi looked up at the red faced Danzo.

The officers behind him were shifting nervously. No one knew quite who this old man was that he had a copy of the Treaty with him. Sarutobi picked up his cell phone and pressed a button. He smiled kindly as someone answered the phone. "Good evening Hokage-sama. Yes, it has been a while since we had drinks together. No, no, I'm fine…nothing I can't handle. However, I must inform you that Brigadier General Danzo has broken the Treaty by coming into Kagure and harassing my poor niece. Yes, he is right in front of me. You want to speak with him? Oh, one moment…it takes a while…okay." Sarutobi put his cell on speaker phone as the gravelly voice of their leader came through.

"I assume that there are anywhere from fifteen to twenty military officers in your company, am I right, Danzo?" Danzo stuttered his affirmative and there was a brief silence. Then, everyone was snapped to attention. "Attention officers in the escort of Brigadier General Danzo. I am sure that you were unaware of the conditions of the Treaty, as most of you are too young to remember the Treaty. As such, I am giving you the benefit of the doubt and giving you one chance to redeem yourselves. You will escort Brigadier General Danzo back to our main headquarters in the Imperial City. You are no longer under his command, as he is under arrest for treason. The officer with the next highest rank under Danzo is now in charge. You will apologize profusely to General Sarutobi and his niece and while you are there, pick up some of Sarutobi-san's famous green tea. That is all!" The officers saluted and took Danzo into custody, handcuffing him while he struggled against them. One female officer approached Sarutobi and bowed.

"I apologize for my superior's lack of respect for the Treaty and for your own personal ranking, General. I hope you and your niece can forgive the intrusion. I am Colonel Guan-yin, and this is my Lt. Colonel, Uri. I will be in charge of escorting the Brigadier General back to the Imperial City." Sarutobi smiled at the woman and shook her hand, and then the hand of her subordinate. About that time, Sakura returned, smiling gently at her otoji.

"Here you are, Otoji." she then turned to the woman in front of her, who bowed to her and gave her the same apology as she did to Sarutobi. Sakura just smiled.

"It's quite alright. I understand that it was just one big misunderstanding. I just have one of those faces." she shrugged and turned back to Sarutobi. "Is there anything else you need, Otoji? My shift ends in fifteen minutes, so abuse my help now while I'm here." Sarutobi let out a deep chuckled and kissed her on the cheek.

"No, mei. Go to your friends. Have fun tonight and don't keep Tomi out too late. You and Gaara should discuss some things before tomorrow…for Tomi's sake." Sakura smiled, kissed him on the cheek, and nodded. He then turned back to the two newly commanding officers.

"I will have the Hokage's tea in just a moment. I keep a special brew, just for him." the woman smiled and looked up at the menu. She arched a brow and turned to her subordinate.

"I'm getting one of the Jasmine teas. Would you like something?" Lt. Colonel Uri shook his head, looking at the menu warily. The colonel cocked her head at him and he grimaced.

"Not a big fan of tea." he said in his deep, thickly accented voice. Guan-yin chuckled softly and went to the counter. Sakura had yet to join her friends, instead, she had been wiping down the counters. She smiled at the Colonel and greeted her.

"What can I get you, Colonel?" She smiled and laughed when the woman grimaced.

"I would rather you call me Guan-yin. Colonel makes me feel like an old man with a gray beard and squinty eyes." Sakura laughed at that and nodded. Guan-yin smiled and ordered her Jasmine tea to go. Sakura made the tea and handed the cup to the woman in front of her. Sakura smiled and waved at them while she went about cleaning the counters again. The jingle of the bells above the door of the shop went off once more and Sakura looked up to see Kit walking in with people trailing after her.

Sakura's breath caught when she saw Hidan, who was scowling, and then the blue haired Konan, who was smiling at the orange haired man that came in behind her. Sakura felt her vision tunnel onto them and she started breathing rapidly. However, she was snapped out of her daze when she heard Kit shriek.

"YOU! What are _you_ doing here!?" Kit was in a defensive stance, glaring at Danzo, who looked shocked at seeing her here. He gaped at her, as if he'd lost his voice. Sakura watched as something changed in Kit and there was an aura about her that screamed killing intent. She watched as Kit's eyes turned a vibrant orange with multiple rings inside. Scars appeared all over her body, ones that had obviously been concealed. Sakura felt her breath catch. Memories flashed in front of her eyes…memories of three people that had trained her and had helped her survive. A woman with kind, violet eyes and two men, one with arrogant green eyes and the other with calm golden eyes.

However, all of that disappeared when she saw Kit about to charge. Moving before thinking, she flashed out from her current position so that she was holding Kit back. Danzo roared in success. "I knew it! I knew she was a talent! Release me! We were instructed to gather all talents!" Sakura turned to look at him over her shoulder. Instead of her kind, calm emerald eyes, they were cold and lethal. Her dark hair had come slightly loose from her braid.

"Shut your mouth Danzo. The Treaty clearly states that you are not to come into this country and bother it's citizens. You broke that and you are going to be executed for it. Whether that happens here or in the Imperial City depends on how much you run your mouth now." Sakura turned her cold eyes on Guan-yin, who looked straight back at her.

Kit was looking up at Sakura in surprise. She hadn't known that Sakura had been through the program as well. Sakura sighed and turned away from them. She pulled up her sleeve and showed them the number on her wrist. It was a small black '5'. Kit gasped. "You were an original!?" Sakura shook her head. She nodded to the customers that were looking at them with frightened eyes. Sakura smiled at them.

"Sorry for the disruption everyone, but due to current circumstances, I must ask all of you to leave. The Tea Tree is closing now…it is eight after all." The customers nodded and gathered their things. They left without a word. Sakura went to the door as the last customer walked out and locked the door and turned the sigh so that it showed 'Closed'. Sakura then turned to the others. Her eyes rested on Danzo.

"I was put into the program after my parents were killed. An agency in the United States had been tracking talents in their area, just as Danzo has been doing here. However, the people at the Agency aren't treated like they are when Danzo gets them. The reason I was given a '5' is because I was the fifth teenager put through my particular program. I went through it so that I could protect Tomi better. I met other talents while I was on the run. They were contacts of my parents. I asked them to train me and they did." She opened her eyes again and they were their normal calm green.

Sakura could hear shuffling from the back and turned to see a grim faced Sarutobi and a blank faced Gaara. Tomi was in the older red head's arms, looking around. He caught sight of his mother, who had her shirt sleeve up. The black '5' drastically clashed with her porcelain skin. She held her breath as her son looked at her and then back up at Gaara. Sakura's stomach churned and she looked away, ashamed of herself. She had gone through the program willingly, in order to protect her child. She had made herself a freak…and now Gaara knew.

Sakura turned from him, not able to meet his eyes. "I don't expect anyone to understand why I willingly put myself through the torture of the program." she looked back up and her eyes held such emotion that it stunned even Danzo. "I would give my life to protect Tomi. I couldn't protect him before, but when Miranda and the others agreed to train me if I went through the program…I couldn't refuse." she turned to look at Kit, who looked horrified.

"You went through all that pain…_willingly_?" Sakura nodded, her eyes softening as she looked back at Tomi. Kit noticed and felt a pang in her heart.

"I would do anything for my son…including turn myself into a monster. He is all I have left in this world…the only one that can look at me with love and never judge me for the mistakes I made, past and present." Sakura walked over to Gaara and stood in front of him. She reached up and took her son, but Gaara resisted. She looked up at him and saw emotions swirling in those eyes.

"OUR son." was all he said before letting Tomi go. Sakura gasped and looked him in the eyes. Even after what he'd learned about her, he still…wanted her? Sakura could feel tears gathering in her eyes as she looked up at him. She smiled and nodded, holding Tomi close to her.

"Our son." she said it quietly as she stepped into Gaara's arms. Gaara held her close to him, his respect for her going through the roof. He had heard from Kit that the nightmares she had held unmentionable pain…pain that most likely came from the experiments that had been performed on her. That Sakura would willingly go through the same thing just to protect Tomi…it was a love that was incomparable.

Kit stared at Sakura…they had more in common than she had originally thought. Perhaps she could trust her oniisan's woman. She looked back at Danzo with a menacing glare. "Nee-san…why did you stop me from killing him? He's the one that is funding that bastards experiments. He's taking kids and giving them over to Orochimaru so that he can have human weapons!" Sakura looked at Kit, who was gritting her teeth. Sakura looked at Sarutobi, who handed Sakura his cell phone. Sakura smiled and hit a button.

It was answered on the first ring. "Code in please." came a mysterious voice from the other end. She smiled as she recognized the voice.

"Crimson Blossom." she said quietly and waited for the next person she knew would come. She smiled when she heard the high, squeaky voice of the girl nicknamed 'Mouse'. She shook her head as she made her request. "Inactive agent requesting permission to speak with Golden Dragon, Dark Angel, and Pack Master." It had been a while since Sakura had used those names, but she had them burned into her memory.

'Mouse' made a noise of acknowledgment and the clicking of pagers could be heard. 'Mouse' responded with playfulness. "Mouse here, the Illuminati have been summoned. Please hang up and wait for the customary tracer call." Sakura thanked 'Mouse' and hung up. Seconds later, the phone rang again.

The voice on the other end was one she hadn't heard in a long time. "Where the hell have you been Crimson!? We have been looking for you…" the first voice was cut off by a much calmer voice.

"It is good to hear your voice again Sakura. Miranda is on her way with a package. She should be arriving at your shop within the next hour. I must say, it took us longer than usual to track you down this time. Good job." Sakura smiled at the voice and shook her head.

"You guys never did cut me loose, did you Drake?" she chuckled when he grunted in answer. She heard someone in the background demanding to speak with her. 'Drake' complied and gave the phone to the man that picked up initially.

"Sakura-chan! We missed you! Miranda has taken to beating up on me since you left us! You were the only one that could keep her in control!" Sakura could just see the tears streaming down his face as he lamented over her loss. She shook her head as she laughed.

"It's nice to hear from you too Constantine. What's this package that Miranda is bringing me?" She sobered when neither male answered her. She narrowed her eyes at the phone. "WHAT exactly aren't you two telling me? Don't make me say _it_." She heard both males groan and she smiled wickedly. She was about to say something when Drake's somber voice broke through her amusement.

"We have a situation, Sakura. It's best if Miranda explain when she gets there. We have to go, but we will see you tomorrow. We are currently en route to your location." Sakura nodded and grunted in understanding. Before he hung up, Drake warned her. "Be careful Sakura…your life is in danger and if my guess is right, so is your child's." Sakura gasped…she had never told any of them why she was going through the program and none of them knew she had a child. However, it seemed that Drake knew now.

"Thanks Drake…I'll do just that." she stared at the phone after she hung up with them. Gaara looked worried and she looked up at him, confusion all over her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly. She shook her head and continued to stare at the phone.

"He knew…he knew about Tomi, even though I never told them. He must have known all along…that's why he agreed to train me. It's the only explanation." Gaara's eyes narrowed and he put his hand on Tomi's head. Tomi looked up at him with wide, bright green eyes. The little boy giggled and grabbed Gaara's hand. Gaara's eyes softened as he looked at the boy.

He watched as Sakura turned and looked over at Kit, an evil smile on her face. "I have a few friends on their way. Perhaps the Colonel and her men would like a place to stay for the night…since it's too late to head back to the Imperial City tonight?" Sakura had made it into a question, but everyone knew the Military couldn't refuse. Guan-yin looked at Uri, then at Sakura.

"I don't know if that's such a good idea. The Hokage will be expecting us." The woman looked nervous, but Sakura shook her head.

"Otoji can tell him what happened." Sakura's eyes never left Danzo, which made everyone nervous. She smiled at the man, her eyes vicious. Danzo gulped and looked at the Colonel, who noticed the man's discomfort. Remembering how the man had treated her and the rest of the men, and women, in his command, watching him squirm was well worth a phone call to their leader.

"I accept your hospitality, ma'am." Colonel Guan-yin saluted Sakura and then turned to Sarutobi, who was smiling lightly. "Permission to stand at ease sir?" Sarutobi waved his hand and laughed lightly.

"Colonel, you are the commanding officer here. I am just a retired old man who runs a tea shop now." Sarutobi noticed how the woman and the other military personnel relaxed in his presence. Several even came up to him with small books.

"General, er, Sarutobi-sama, could…could we have your autograph?" one blushing young woman asked. She had the strips of a sergeant and there were two privates in her company. Sarutobi smiled and laughed, taking the pen from her and signing it.

"Whatever for, young miss?" he asked as the three women squealed as they looked at their signed hour booklets. They looked at him wide eyed, then back at Guan-yin, who had a lop-sided grin on her face.

"Well, Sarutobi-sama, you are a bit of a celebrity in the Imperial City. From very young, citizens are taught of your great deeds, even though you were on the opposing side for a while. Your military prowess was taught to everyone in the academy. You are highly regarded by the Hokage-sama and his entire council. As such, you are a living hero to those of us in the Military." Lt. Colonel Uri said with the utmost respect. He lowered his gaze as Sarutobi looked at him with a bit of shock.

"It brings us great shame to learn that we were sent against you and did not even recognize you. Perhaps pictures should be included with the tales of your deeds." Colonel Guan-yin sighed and looked back at Danzo with anger. "It strikes me as odd that my _commanding officer_ never once mentioned the fact we were breaking Imperial law by stepping into this small, independent country surrounded by mostly Imperial territory." Sarutobi raised a brow and looked at Danzo, who looked away.

Sarutobi chuckled and looked at Guan-yin once more. "Doesn't surprise me. Had it been anyone else's shop but my own, and he may have gotten away with it. But seeing as how I was promoted to General because of my ingenious negotiation of the Treaty, and later sent to the Imperial City as the ambassador of Konoha, it does not surprise me he would not honor the treaty. He had been against it in the first place, had voiced himself at the signing, saying I was tricking the 'Imperial snobs' into letting down their guard so that I could assassinate them. I guess that's why he's only a Brigadier General after nearly sixty years in the military." The looks on the faces of the military around them as they regarded their ex-commanding officer spoke volumes. It was apparent none had ever heard this side of the tale before.

Guan-yin composed herself and looked at Sarutobi speculatively. She smiled and looked at Uri, who looked like he was about to crack a grin. She arched one neatly kept brow and smiled at Sarutobi. "You seem to have many stories, Sarutobi-sama. We should talk." Sarutobi laughed and motioned the two higher-ups to follow him.

* * *

Burning eyes looked out over the simple blacktop as he tiredly walked down the steps leading from the private jet to the car waiting below. He took a deep breath and smiled, his slightly longer than average canines glinting in the sunlight. "Freedom…" he whispered softly. He immediately looked up at the sky and an evil smirk crossed his features. "Soon, my blossom…soon." He turned when he heard the furious whispering of the man and woman that had been the bane of his existence since they had busted him out of jail.

He growled softly under his breath as they went silent as soon as the noticed he was watching them. The woman giggled wickedly and just whispered to the man, whose eyes would widen with shock as he looked at her. He could tell the young man was fighting a blush…and losing. Having not had a woman in a few years, her antics were wearing thin on his nerves. He would have to either get Sakura soon, or seek out the comfort of another woman.

Feeling his body turn aggressive, he knew his woman would never accept him this way, though it would serve her right. He sighed and turned to look at the pair once more. He arched a brow when he noticed a young woman with pale hair and pink eyes walking up in a old fashioned kimono. She had unusually long sleeves and it seemed as if she were barefoot. He arched a brow as she walked up to him, her eyes critical.

"Sasori-san…Orochimaru-sama has waited long for your arrival. Please, come with me." her voice made his spine tingle with anticipation. He smiled internally…he would enjoy the ride back to his temporary home by using this small woman to sate his lust.

It seemed she read his mind, because her eyes went cold and deadly. "I warn you sir, whatever you are thinking of trying…don't. I have no allegiance to anyone but my lord, Orochimaru-sama. Should you displease me in any way, you will see why I am the one that escorts all the new arrivals to my lord." she turned her back to him and walked to a small car. Karin laughed and joined the small woman, Kabuto not far behind.

Sasori looked around and noticed there was a slightly larger car with a man standing next to it expectantly. Giving the small woman one last longing glance, the red head walked over to the car and got in. He had no sooner gotten sat down than a screen came on and he was greeted by the face of his new accomplice. "I trust your trip went smoothly?" came the snakelike voice. Sasori grunted in acknowledgement and glared at the screen.

"You sent a woman to help retrieve me from prison and another woman to escort me to your property…do you realize how long its been since I've had a woman?" he growled at the snake-man. Apparently, the older male had realized it because he started chuckling.

"A small enticement, I assure you. I have plenty of young women here that would gladly accommodate your needs as soon as you arrive." Sasori gave a wicked smile and chuckled. This was his kind of place…

* * *

Miranda was ready to murder her 'patient' by the time the car rolled up to the curb next to the tea shop where her friend worked. He had practically molested her the entire drive, had even made her think he'd woken up for a moment, only to grace her with a silly smile before his eyes rolled into the back of his head once more.

She wondered just how much one person could sleep and then remembered he'd been under Sasori's mind control for quite a while. She remembered the other people who had been under his control. They'd slept hours upon hours after they were freed. However, this one seemed to act inappropriately when he slept. She felt the vein that was twitching in the side of her face when she felt him rubbing his face against her again. Irritated, but under strict orders to deliver this 'package' unharmed, she slipped out one side of the car and walked over to the other side. She opened the door to see the man looking around drowsily. He was mumbling about something and scratching his head. She cleared her throat and he turned dazed bourbon eyes to her. Her breathing hitched as she registered his confusion, disorientation, and to her amazement, fear.

He mumbled something and reached for her, his efforts half hearted. He fell short, however, as he fell asleep once more. It was a pitiful sight, in her opinion, and she couldn't help but baby him. She climbed into the vehicle with him and stroked his hair while she pulled out her phone. It rang once before the familiar voice came. "Code in please." came the same light, masculine voice that had asked the same of Sakura.

"Pack Master." she said in an authoritative tone. There was a click as she was transferred over to 'Mouse', who waited for Miranda to make her request. "Pack Master requesting contact with the inactive agent, Crimson Blossom. Requesting a patch as well, Mouse." Miranda made sure to specify, being as she had nothing to write any numbers on.

"Sure thing Pack Master. Patching you through to Crimson Blossom, please hang up and wait for your phone to vibrate. You should be patched with her as soon as you pick up." With that, the line went dead. Miranda snapped her phone shut and waited a minute or two before she felt it start to vibrate. She picked up seconds before she heard a voice she hadn't heard in years.

"Moshi Moshi, this is Sakura speaking." Miranda smiled, remembering how soft spoken the young woman was. She also remembered the slight hurt when she had found out Sakura had a child and had never told them. Had it not been the freak accident of Drake stumbling across the files of two murdered American agents, they still wouldn't have known. They had been contacts of the two agents for several missions, and when their daughter had come to them for help, they had willingly helped her.

"Been a long time, Crimson." she grinned when she heard the gasp and the 'oh my god' from her friend. The background noise lessened, Miranda noticed, and a very deep masculine voice asked her who it was. She could tell her friend had put her hand over the speaker because she heard pieces of a muffled conversation. She did pick up on the 'she wasn't supposed to be here for almost an hour' and the frantic noise of someone rushing somewhere. She looked out of the car to see her dark headed friend smiling at her. She hung up the phone and waved.

However, a red headed man stopped the girl from running out. It seemed both of them were squinting. A third person joined them, this one with blonde hair that Miranda swore was up in not one or two pony tails, but four. The blonde woman's eyes widened and she scrambled to open the door. A few unsuccessful attempts to get the door open reminded the people inside that the door was locked. Miranda climbed out of the car as the young dark headed woman unlocked the door. The blonde ran out in a flash and was in the door frame of the car before Miranda knew what was happening.

"What have you done to my little brother!?" the blonde shrieked, her eyes wide with fear and suspicion. Miranda coiled like a snake ready to strike as the tone registered. This girl was challenging her. A soothing hand had her turning and looking at her old friend. The red headed man from before was at her side, a small red headed boy in his arms. Miranda's world narrowed to Sakura and the man holding the child. Sakura knew instantly that the child was Sakura's and that the father was Sasori.

Miranda was woken from her trance by a groan and she turned to see the blonde glaring at her 'patient', one fist raised and her brow twitching. Miranda turned back and looked at Sakura, who laughed and shook her head. Miranda noticed Sakura was leaning against the red headed man, who narrowed his eyes on the violet haired woman.

"Where did you find him?" the man asked quietly, never looked away from her. Miranda shivered and decided that telling the truth was much smarter than ever lying to him. She shrugged and looked away, trying to make light of the situation. However, after her conversation with Drake, she knew this would get very bad, very soon.

"He'd been spotted hanging around in places he shouldn't have been. My partners and I put a criminal in jail a while ago and he was known to use people on the outside to do his dirty work. We put two and two together and got him out of the situation. He won't remember much, but then again, those who are tainted by _him_ usually don't remember it." Miranda noticed Sakura stiffen and knew this would be hard on the young mother.

"Sakura…we have a situation. I'm sure that you've already contacted Drake and Constantine." Sakura nodded, all amusement and merriment fading from those tired emerald orbs. Miranda knew she'd been running most of her young adulthood and could empathize. However, now was not the time nor the place. Miranda nodded and motioned towards Tomi. "He's the reason you went through the program, ne?" She didn't need Sakura's answer to know. She could see the love shining in the smaller woman's face.

"Right. Now that my 'package' has been delivered, I am supposed to brief you on the situation." Temari looked up at Miranda with disbelief.

"Package!? That's my little brother you are talking about, not some box of car parts!" Temari would have said more, but Gaara stopped her.

"Temari. Get Shikamaru and Kit and take Kankuro inside." Temari glared at Miranda one more time before she did as her youngest brother told her. When the blonde was gone, Miranda reached down and ran her hand through 'Kankuro's' hair absently. This did not go unnoticed by Gaara. He inclined his head to her. "Thank you for returning him to us. He has been missing for quite some time and my sister was very worried about him."

Sakura noticed the tension that had built inside Miranda and smiled, knowing Gaara was trying to defuse the situation. She decided to introduce them. "Gaara-kun, this is Miranda, my friend from the states. Miranda, this is Gaara-kun…my boyfriend." Miranda noticed the young woman's blush and the way the young man looked at her when she said it. Miranda nodded, not offering her hand, though she had no doubt he would reject shaking her hand anyway.

Miranda noticed the child was silently watching the things going on from the older red head's arms. She motioned to the child, and then to Sakura. "Cute kid, Sakura. You never told us why you were so intent on going through the program despite the pain you were warned about. Now I know…" Sakura's eyes clouded and she turned away, rubbing her wrist self consciously. Not wanting to drag up the past, but wanting clarification, Miranda motioned to the kid again. "I take it Sasori doesn't know about him?"

Sakura looked as if she'd been smacked, but it was the glare from Gaara that had the hair on the back of Miranda's neck standing on end. "Why should he know? Tomi is my son…mine and Sakura's." the red head stated plainly. Miranda looked confused and was about to say something when the red head growled at her. "My son…my woman. Mine." Miranda had never seen such territorialism, except in herself and a few of the enhanced people.

Miranda put her hands up in defeat and backed off. She watched as Sakura soothed the surly red head, who held the small boy protectively. Miranda had her doubts as to the actual parentage of the child, but she wouldn't argue the point. It was about that time that Temari returned with a dark headed man and a young woman. Miranda's hackles were instantly raised by the young woman who was approaching her charge. Before she thought about it, Miranda was between the three of them and the brunette that had fondled her. A deep, throaty growl came from her throat, her canines exposed. Her normally calculating violet eyes were a deep royal purple, almost black. Her violet hair stood up against her neck slightly, her dominance being established.

The young woman froze and stared, not sure what to do. The other two just stared, not understanding. Temari gave an impatient grunt and pointed at Miranda. "Move so Kit and I can get our brother." Knowing the girl's relationship with the man didn't deter Miranda. She looked at Temari, who shivered, and then back to Kit.

"Not her…you can get anyone else to help you…but not her." Kit looked shocked, as did everyone else, but then understanding dawned on Kit's face and she held up her hands and backed off. She smiled at the older woman.

"Don't worry, lady…you can have him. I'm sure he'll be thrilled when he wakes up." Kit turned back and gave Temari a sheepish look. "She's like me, Temi…sorry, but I can't encroach…she's tougher than me. I'll send my niisan out to help…and Hidan as well." Kit smiled and went inside. Minutes later, a loud crash was heard, as was yelling. A man with silver hair came stumbling out rubbing his chest and his head. Another man followed him out, unharmed but extremely sedate. They could hear the man with silver hair grumbling about abusive females.

The two males walked over to Temari and cocked their heads. "We were told to retrieve 'Kankuro'." the orange headed man said and looked over his shoulder. Everyone looked at what they were and noticed a stern looking young woman with blue hair with her arms crossed over her chest and Kit, who was grinning cockily. Both men sighed and reached out for the young man, only to hear a growl from the young woman in front of them.

"You'd best be gentle with him. Would be real bad if I had to beat the crap out of you for being inconsiderate." She noticed the man with silver hair scoff and look at her, and then at the women staring out at them.

"No offense lady, but my sister is way more intimidating than you are. Probably because I have no idea what you are capable of, but I know exactly what she can do." Hidan looked over his shoulder and noticed that they two were no longer there. He sighed and looped one of the brunette's arms around his neck while Pein did the same. They hauled the young brunette inside while Sakura attempted to calm Miranda.

"It's good to see you again Pack Master." Sakura used the code in name to distract the older girl from her charge. Miranda's head whipped around and she looked at Sakura, her eyes slowly returning to normal. Sakura remembered how aggressive Miranda was and how dominant the young woman had always been. Her team was her pack and she was the alpha. It was part of the reason Sakura had left…she had to be her own person and living under the rules of another chaffed at her nature.

Miranda gave her a toothy grin, only to turn her gaze back to the young man being taken inside. Sakura knew that something was up with her friend and nudged her to get her attention. Miranda snapped her attention back to Sakura. Sakura smiled mischievously and arched one dark brow. Miranda blushed and looked at the floor. "I'm not sure what's going on with me, but I just feel very protective of him. I can't explain it and I don't understand it. You know me Sakura…I'm not like this over anyone, especially a male." the young woman said quietly, her eyes returning to the brunette once more before he disappeared into the tea shop.

Sakura looked at Gaara from the corner of her eye and then back at Miranda, sympathy in her gaze. Sakura smiled and leaned back against Gaara, who gave a low growl in her ear at the intimate contact she initiated between them. Miranda's head whipped around and looked at them, Gaara's face nuzzling Sakura's hair and Tomi in his arms, his little red head on the older male's shoulder, sound asleep. Miranda studied the pair and was surprised to notice that Sakura, as independent as she was, deferred to this male.

Curious, Miranda watched the two interact. She noticed how Sakura leaned against the male for support, how the male reacted to the intimacy with little growls and nips on her skin. Even how the male slightly shifted the child so that he could do all these things without waking him up. This scrutiny brought her attention back to the child. She noticed that he had blood red hair. She wondered if he would have the tarnished bloody eyes of his sire, or the clear emerald eyes of his mother.

Her thoughts were cut short when a crowd of young people came out, her brunette charge very much awake and very much irritated. She could tell he wanted more sleep, but every time his eyes began to droop, the blonde who was said to be his sister would wake him up somehow. Miranda never took her eyes off of him, but she had to know something.

"Sakura…are you living alone, like you used to?" if the young woman said yes, she didn't know how she would react. It was the male that answered for her.

"No. I live with her and I help her take care of our son. That bastard will never get to her again as long as I'm alive." Gaara said it so lightly that had Miranda not been listening to every word he'd said, she would have thought he wasn't referring to a dangerous gang member or a vile rapist. Miranda nodded and looked at Sakura, who looked slightly shocked. She knew this was a recent development, but she had no control over it. She sighed and looked at the brunette once more, who was currently scowling at everyone around him.

"Very well. Drake and Constantine should be arriving within the hour. I should go and meet them. We can meet up at your place and discuss what your situation is. But Sakura…you must know this. We will do everything in our power to protect you…including give our lives if we must." Sakura looked shocked as Miranda slid back into the car and headed to the airport to pick up the rest of her team…her brothers.

Sakura looked up at Gaara, who's eyes were alive with emotion. She arched one brow at him and he just shrugged. "You are not living alone anymore, Sakura-chan. You might as well get used to my presence." He turned and started walking back to the café. She cocked her head to the side, wondering what exactly was going through the young man's head.

* * *

Drake was much calmer now, but he was also very sore. He knew that even as aggressive as he had been last night, he hadn't been the dominant one. He was usually the one doing the taking, but Constantine had learned to turn things around while avoiding a confrontation so that Drake was no longer the one in control. He was actually very grateful for this, because it meant he hurt the smaller male less.

A grumbling moan was his wakeup call and he turned onto his side, aware that he was still naked and that Constantine was still lying halfway on his back. The dark haired male cuddled up to his back, making Drake chuckle. He knew they should be heading to Kagure soon to meet up with Miranda, but he was so comfortable.

Seemed that Constantine was of a different mind, because Drake felt the younger male's hands on him and he had to bite back a moan. He was slightly surprised because Constantine never participated in this unless they were being controlled by 'the urge' as they had dubbed their uncontrollable lust for one another. Drake didn't mind, however, because he knew he was in love with the younger man, even if his dark headed companion was completely oblivious.

He had a feeling Miranda sensed there was something more between the two of them, but she had never pressed, or even asked what it was. She just accepted them as they were and brought happiness to them. She was like a little sister or a daughter to them. Drake gasped when he felt Constantine's hand on his member. The younger male seemed to be trying to rekindle the flame that had been blazing earlier.

Not that Drake minded, but they had things they had to do, and this was not one of them. Gently yet firmly removing himself from the younger man's grasp, Drake sighed as he heard the growl come from his partner at his absence in bed…or rather, on the futon couch in their office.

Drake dressed in an immaculate suit and proceeded to wake Constantine. The younger male clearly did not wish to wake up, but Drake smiled and whispered something in his ear and almost instantly one green eye opened and a whine came out of the smaller male. "Promise?" he asked petulantly and Drake couldn't help but smile. He nodded and watched as the younger male groaned and stretched, waking himself up. Drake cleared his throat and walked out, giving his partner privacy. He was met not two feet from his office by a secretary.

"Sir…you should see this." she said with a slight blush on her face. He knew very well that most females reacted strongly to his presence, as they did with Constantine. He took the files from her and started paging through them. What he saw made him angrier. Seems that they had another murder case on their hands and a missing child to find. Drake thanked the young woman and walked into his office. He shut the door before the secretary caught a glimpse of Constantine's naked flesh as he put on a pair of pants.

Drake sighed and threw the file on his desk, rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration. Constantine noticed and went around to the back of his chair and started massaging his shoulders. Drake groaned appreciatively and let his head drop. Constantine chuckled lightly and used his free hand to open the file. A young girl with a bush of red hair stared up at him. She had unusual eyes and a cute, heart shaped face. Constantine read through the file while massaging Drake's shoulders.

Constantine sighed and leaned his bare chest against Drake's back. "How many kids does this make, Drake? He's been taking kids in since the early sixties…this one is no exception. Do you think he did the same thing to this one that he did to some of the others?" Drake sighed and leaned his head back, his silver hair caressing Constantine's stomach.

"This one is different, Angel. He murdered her family to get her. He's never actively sought out a child before. Not even one of us. For him to do that…she has to be powerful. We will have to keep an eye out for this one while we are in Kagure. We may have to exterminate her if she proves to be a threat." Constantine heard the sadness in the older male's voice and sighed. He reached down and kissed Drake on the forehead and smiled.

"Don't worry, Drake. I have a feeling things will work out." Drake smiled up at him and Constantine gasped. Drake looked much older than his twenty two years at that moment and Constantine couldn't understand why he was feeling the way he was. Only Sakura knew their secret…not even Miranda was completely aware of what was going on between them…hell, neither were they. However, despite his womanizing ways, Constantine knew he was in love with his silver haired companion. He had been since they were young. But whatever was inside them scared him…scared both of them.

Constantine swallowed his nerves and sent Drake a teasing smirk. "We better get going or Miranda will have our heads…all of them." Constantine chuckled when Drake shook his head, his broad shoulders shaking with laughter. He smirked and finished dressing. They were both chuckling when they left the office for the air strip.


	18. What To Do With Prisoners

**A/N: Hehe...sorry it's taken so long. i was so wrapped up in getting Liz's chapter's up that I forgot about mine. Work has been kicking my butt, but I love nothing more than coming home and writing. Anyways, I actually wrote all of this stuff myself (Liz gave me pointers) and I hope that you guys like it. I'm not really one for lemony type things like Liz, but I also believe that if it happens in real life, you shouldn't be afraid to put it in your story (as long as you don't break the rules). As usual, I don't own Naruto, just the characters I made up. After much thought, I decided that I would NOT put in a twist to the story. I like it the way it is. Enjoy! JA!**

* * *

Chapter 18: What To Do With Prisoners…

With a moan of pure relief, Sasori fell to his side. He looked down at the young woman that had been lying beneath him, taking the brunt of his passion. She had lifeless green eyes and her hair was short and black. She looked vaguely like the woman he was hunting…but not nearly enough. However, she would do until he got his blossom back.

He sat up on the side of the bed and regarded her once more. She was breathing heavily, sweat covered her body. Sasori scowled and stood to his feet. He silently picked up his clothes and walked out of the room. He was met in the hall by the fuchsia eyed woman that had picked him up at the air port. She didn't even look at him once. He wondered if she was a lesbian and the idea excited him.

"What's your name?" he husked, drawing her attention to him. She gave him a glance from the corner of her eye and turned back to face where she was going.

"My name is Yamineska." she stated plainly. Sasori noticed she did not blush at his obvious nudity. He arched a brow.

"Why are you here? You don't seem to enjoy being here." the young woman turned her cold eyes on him once more.

"My brother. Orochimaru-sama is working on a cure for his disease. I will give my life to ensure my brother is cured and that he is happy." with that, she walked away. Sasori noticed that she didn't look below eyelevel. He growled and stalked to the room he'd been given for his stay here.

-

* * *

-

Baleful blue eyes stared out at the old man that was keeping her trussed like a pig. There were two people in uniforms with him as he explained who she was, why she was tied up, and what they should do with her. She squeaked when the large man in the uniform suggested executing her.

"She is a criminal, is she not? In my country, criminals of her degree are executed. Women who sell their bodies are a great dishonor." his thick accent made it rather hard to understand him. However, she got the gist loud and clear when the woman nodded and spoke.

"We can take her to the Imperial City if you like, Sarutobi-sama. I don't think the Hokage-sama would risk war with the Americas over her, but I'm sure he'd welcome the chance to strengthen the Kingdom's ties with the independent nation by handing her over to their government. You said she's connected to the man who killed the American Agents?" Her eyes widened…Sasori had killed government agents?

The look in her eyes must have caught the old man's attention, because he gave her a speculative glance. "So…that is news to you, little miss?" she looked away, ashamed. Sasori had never mentioned it to her. Sarutobi took the cloth out of her mouth and she coughed a few times.

"H-he killed…agents?" Sarutobi nodded and he saw the fear in her eyes. She looked at him, her dirty blonde hair falling all around her.

"W-what…what were their names?" Sarutobi observed her very carefully. It was like she was worried on a whole different level. There was fear and apprehension in her eyes.

"The agents he killed were Sakura's parents. The worked for an organization that employs people known as 'talents' to solve crimes that normally go unsolved." he noticed the tension leave her body. Something was off.

"He…he's never killed agents before…has he?" there were the beginnings of tears in her eyes and he noted the catch in her voice. He arched a brow and carefully leaked bits of what he knew.

"Not to my knowledge. But, then again, several agents have disappeared after being assigned to follow him." he heard her gasped sob and wondered what this was about. She bowed her head and he noticed tears falling from her eyes.

"Then it's true…he did kill them…even after he swore it wasn't him…" she whispered, her words barely discernable past her tears. Sarutobi regarded her before he looked at the two uniforms with them.

"What are you talking about?" he asked gently. She sniffled and tried to compose herself.

"Seven years ago, two agents disappeared. A young man and an older woman. They were a team…a mother and son team. No one knew their connection…except the woman's daughter." she said sadly and looked up. Even Uri gasped at the sadness and pain in her eyes.

"He killed them…he killed my momma and my older brother…he swore on his precious art that he didn't…but if he killed those two so easily…he's had to do it before…" she was outright sobbing now. Sarutobi looked up at Guan-yin and Uri, his face grim.

"I think it best to take her to the Imperial City. She can disappear there, especially if rumor is true and Sasori is loose." he saw the woman go still, her sobs frozen. She slowly looked up at him and there was hatred buried deep in her eyes. But when Sarutobi blinked, it was gone and she was no longer looking up.

"I will go with you to this Imperial City of yours. Perhaps I can start over…again…" Sarutobi nodded and untied her. He gave her a key and looked at Uri and Guan-yin.

"There's a small apartment about four blocks from here. She can get cleaned up there. There may be clothes there, but I don't know. Take her there before Sakura gets back here. I will tell her what is going on." He was about to leave when the young blonde called out to him.

"Sarutobi-sama…" the old man looked back at her and she dropped her head in shame. "Tell…tell Sakura-san…I'm sorry. I don't deserve her forgiveness, but…I want her to know I would never have hurt her son…" Sarutobi regarded her with cold eyes.

"It is not the boy you have hurt. The young woman your man stabbed…she lost her child because of it." he noticed her wince and then her fists clench.

"I told him not to mess with anyone. He never listens to me. No one ever listens to me…" she said sadly. Uri went and helped her up while Guan-yin took the keys and started to head out the back door. Uri looked down at the small blonde woman and he felt pity for her.

"Respect is not earned by fear…it is earned by giving it." the blonde looked up at him with shocked eyes. She then smiled sadly and nodded in understanding. They walked out while Sarutobi went up front to tell Sakura what was going on.

-

* * *

-

Miranda was sitting in the back of the car, contemplating her reaction to the brunette she now knew as Kankuro. She had never been this territorial over a male before…not even her 'brothers'. But when she had seen the blonde and the other enhanced female coming towards him, it was like the monster inside of her had taken over. Had the young woman known as Kit touched the brunette, Miranda was fairly certain she would have killed the girl.

She thought back to their plane ride and she groaned, remembering how his blood had tasted. It had been metallic, like all blood, but there had been an underlying taste of masculinity. Something that made him purely male. And those dark, penetrating eyes…she shook her head, scowling. There was a chance that, when it came down to the final standoff, she would die. She could not afford to have her mind clouded by girlish fancies.

And yet…she couldn't stop thinking about him. She wondered if he was still tired from Sasori's influence. She wondered if he had any lasting affects. She wondered if he was feeling okay. She wondered what he was doing right now. She wondered…that thought made her blush. She shook her head and started growling. This man was dangerous, and he didn't even realize it.

She sat back in her seat more, trying to think about other things. Slowly, her eyelids started drooping. She was so tired…soon, sleep had claimed her and she was dreaming about the one thing she had tried to get off her mind this whole time…Kankuro.

-

* * *

-

Sightless black eyes stared out over what the owner was sure would be a beautiful snowy paradise. The warm fire at his back crackled several times as he stared out, thinking about the past. When he had been Sasori's partner, he had made many stupid decisions.

Taking Sakura had been the dumbest ever. He should have realized Pein would not condone the kidnapping of a scared sixteen year old girl. But Sasori had said that Pein hadn't cared. Only that he couldn't be caught. At the time, he had not cared. But when he had learned the truth…

He closed those sightless black eyes as pain welled up inside him. He had helped a monster ruin the life of an innocent girl. She shook his head sadly and felt around for the rough material of the harness strapped to his best friend.

"Brandy…where are you girl?" he whispered. He felt a warm, wet nose against the back of his hand and smiled. He instantly felt the handle in his hand and let the dog lead him to where it would be more comfortable to sit. The young canine seemed very attuned to her master's emotions. She put her head in his lap when he sat down by the fire.

"I know girl…I guess I'm feeling guilty again…living here alone tends to do that to you. Especially when you have a past like mine…" he sighed and felt around for the remote that would turn on his music. Classical music lightly spilled from the speakers that were all around him. He sighed again and patted the chair beside him. Brandy jumped up beside him and allowed him to pet her as much as he wanted. He had forgotten what type of dog Sakura had said she was, but she was very affectionate for her breed.

He was half asleep when his phone rang. He allowed it to ring one more time and his speaker I.D. told him who it was. "Call from: Haruno Sakura." He picked it up quickly, concern lacing his voice.

"Sakura…what's wrong?" there was silence before he heard her small voice over the phone.

"It's been a long time, Itachi." she said quietly. He sighed and relaxed. She sometimes called him when she was confused…maybe this was one of those times.

"What is wrong, little bird?" he heard her slight laugh at his unusual nickname. However, she knew where it was from…she had been singing a soft, sad song after Sasori had taken her. Itachi had told her she sounded like a forlorn songbird that had been stuck in a cage. She had laughed at that too.

"Itachi…what is it like to fall in love?" he froze at her words. She was in love? With who? When? He sighed and laid his head back, remembering how he had felt about Kisame, before the man had fled his former life.

"You feel happy…unbelievably happy…all the time. You smile for no reason…you feel like your heart will burst from your chest and shout to the world your feelings for that person. You feel like you're flying when you make them happy and you share their sadness, so they are not alone." he said quietly. He missed Kisame…so much. But he knew that it had not been meant to be. It had been common knowledge that Kisame was not bisexual or homosexual. Itachi himself was bisexual.

"So…it's basically, you feel…whole?" Itachi just sat there and blinked several times before he smiled.

"Yes…that person makes you feel complete…like you will never be alone again." He took not of her silence and wondered if she had hung up. He heard something in the background, but it was soon gone. She then spoke again.

"Thank you Itachi…I just…I just wanted to ask someone I knew I could trust on this." Itachi smiled and closed his eyes.

"You can always come to me little bird. You know that. When do you think you can come to visit me?" there was a note of longing in his voice that Sakura picked up on. He heard her giggle.

"I'm actually going to be heading up that way in the next few weeks. Christmas is coming up really soon, and I have a surprise for you." he heard the mischief in her voice and arched a brow.

"Unless you are bringing me someone hot with a bow around them, then I can't say I'll be too surprised." He smirked at her hearty laugh. He had always loved making this girl happy. He smiled and turned his face up to the ceiling. "I'm glad you called, Sakura. I was starting to get depressed again. The guilt finds me in my lowest hours." he said quietly. There were tears sliding down the side of his face, but he was still smiling.

He heard her croon at him. "Niisan…it's not your fault. You saved me, remember? I owe you more than you will ever realize." Itachi felt his chest tighten.

"No one has called me brother since my ototo blamed me for the death of our family…" he heard the silence on the other end before there was a sigh.

"Itachi…about your brother…" Itachi stiffened, thinking maybe something had happened to the younger Uchiha. He almost had a heart attack until she went on. "You should really try and talk to him. He suffers too, you know. I know you love him…it's evident in the way you talk about him. Why don't you try and tell him what happened?"

Itachi sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, kotori…he refused to listen the last time I tried to tell him. I don't know if I can face those accusing eyes. I may not be able to see them, but I can still feel them." He heard her sigh.

"Look…I should be up that way in maybe two, three weeks. How about we talk about it then? I can help you explain things that he wasn't aware of?" Itachi nodded and sighed again.

"Well, kotori, as nice as it was hearing your voice, I think Brandy and I are going to bed. I don't know what I would do without this lovable dog you have gifted me with." he heard her giggle and he smiled. He felt the same way over the dog. He said his goodbyes and then had Brandy lead him to his bedroom, where he slept soundly for the first time in several months.

-

* * *

-

Drake and Constantine glared out the windows. It had taken them twice as long to take off as it should have and it felt like the flight was taking forever. They had talked, gone over case files, made a list of priorities, talked some more, and slept…separately of course. Drake could sense Constantine's restlessness.

"Why don't you meditate, Constantine? It used to work when we were younger?" Drake recommended quietly. He had had his eyes closed for a little over forty five minutes, so the dark haired youth had assumed he was asleep.

"Is that what you're doing? Meditating?" there was agitation in the green eyed man's voice, but Drake knew it wasn't directed at him.

"No…I'm not nearly as active as you. I enjoy long periods of inaction…you do not. It's why we always have cases. The higher ups know what happens when you get restless." Constantine glared at the older male and sat down with a huff.

"Look…that wasn't my fault. I didn't know that it was a drug ring or that the FBI was trying to make a case. I just don't like people cheating me out of my money. And how many drug dealers actually use casinos to smuggle drugs? It's not like there was a high possibility of me even knowing about that." Drake smiled at the petulant note in Constantine's voice. It was turning him on, even though it should have annoyed him.

His smile turned to a frown. The urges were coming more often now…did it have to do with their age? Their proximity to the country of their origin? Was this restlessness and aggression part of it? He felt something poke him in the forehead and opened his eyes to see Constantine staring at him, a scowl on his face.

"Did you hear me?" Drake was drawing a blank, so he shook his head. Constantine sighed and scratched his head. "Jeeze, Drake, you're starting to sound like Ny…he never listens to me…anyways, I said we're here. We touched down like, two seconds ago. You're going out first…I don't want Miranda getting to me first…she tends to hurt me…" there was a pout on the younger man's face and Drake felt his body tighten. He took a deep breath and stood, hiding his arousal from his partner.

"Right…" he said as he went to the door and waited for it to open. It cracked and he put his sunglasses on so that he wouldn't be blinded. Cold air passed over the opening. It was late November, early December and it was beautiful, despite the chill. "We're back…" he said quietly before looking down at the car that was there to pick them up. He was mildly surprised that Miranda wasn't standing by the door, waiting to beat the crap out of them for being so late. However, his eyes softened when he opened the door and found her asleep.

Constantine's eyes softened as well as he shook his head. "I'll grab our bags." the black haired male said softly, so as not to awaken their rather temperamental sister. Drake climbed in and pulled her just enough so that her head rested on his shoulder. Constantine looked in and smiled gently. "She must be really tired. I'll sit up front with the driver. Let her sleep." Drake nodded and put her head in his lap, smoothing her hair away from her face. She curled up, a small growl coming from her, and remained asleep. Drake smiled and laid his head back, falling asleep as well.

-

* * *

-

Kit was still a little ruffled by what had happened. Seeing Danzo after so long made her feel like that little child again…helpless, weak, and scared out of her mind. But the woman that had shown up, claiming she and her partners had 'found' Kankuro…that was just too much for her. Also, the woman seemed dangerous…more so than even Kit was. It was obvious the girl had gone through the program, the only question was…was it Orochimaru that did it?

Kit watched as Sakura followed Gaara to her car. Kit had managed to clean the mud off of her boots while she waited for everyone to lock up and start out. Most of the gang had gone home. The only ones left were Ino and Kiba and the remaining members of Akatsuki. Tobi and Zetsu had shown up only minutes ago, and they were now waiting to head out to Sakura's house. Temari, and Shikamaru had gone back to the Sabaku estate, but Kankuro had stayed with Gaara, saying he didn't want to hear his sister and her boy toy going at it.

Kit shook her head…there was something off about his behavior. Something he wasn't telling them. She shrugged and sat on her bike, even with the chilly November wind. She knew that December was on it's way and she was not looking forward to the 'Month of Snowfall'. Kit shut her eyes against the tears. Her birthday would be coming up soon…and the anniversary of her parents' death. She shook her head and watched as her brother talked to Sakura. Gaara was putting a drowsy Tomi in his car seat while his woman talked to the ex-gang members.

Kit noticed Hidan look over at her and she arched a brow, a wicked smile on her face. She noticed his cheeks stain light pink and he turned away from her. She licked her lips…perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

-

* * *

-

Sakura could feel the tension in Gaara. He wanted to talk about something, but he wouldn't bring it up. Finally, she looked at him while he sat patiently in her passenger seat. "What's on your mind, Gaara-kun?" He looked over at her with hooded eyes and it made her breath catch. He sighed and shifted.

"I don't want you staying out here alone. It's too dangerous, especially if my gut feeling is right." he said quietly. He did not want to wake Tomi up. Sakura rolled his statement over in her mind. She felt warmth spread through her chest.

"What would you have me do, Gaara-kun? My house is state of the art, with the best security systems available. Not to mention the number of weapons I have stashed here. It would be a shame to lose such a beautiful home because of a bastard from my past." She said wistfully. Gaara knew she didn't want to move Tomi again, and he respected that, but he wanted them safe at the same time.

"Sakura…I'm not saying you have to move." he said softly. Her eyes opened wide and she looked over at him with surprise.

"Then what are you saying, Gaara-kun?" she asked just as softly as he had. He looked at her, just a hint of nerves in his eyes.

"What I'm saying, Sakura-chan, is that I want you to let me move in with you. I want to know you and Tomi are safe." he said quietly. Sakura stopped at a stop sign and looked over at him.

"You…you really…want to move in with me…I mean…with us?" she was blushing furiously now as she looked at him. Gaara blushed a bit and nodded. Sakura jumped when a horn honked behind them and she turned her attention back to the road. She drove the rest of the way to her house in complete silence. When they pulled up in her drive way, she sat in the car for a few seconds. She knew Ino would be leading the others there because they were waiting for Miranda and the two other agents.

They regarded one another silently and then Gaara sighed. "Sakura…you have to have known I'm attracted to you. I'm not just with you because I've taken responsibility as Tomi's dad." he said quietly, still looking at her from the corner of his eye. He saw her face become sad.

"I knew…I just thought you wouldn't be attracted to me once you found out about what I really am. The program…it changes you. I'm more primitive because of it…more animalistic. It's why I'm so violent over Tomi…" she trailed off. Sure, she was naturally protective as the boy's mother, but what she'd gone through took it to a whole new level. Not only her rape, but the murder of her parents, coupled with what she'd endured in the program…it made her dangerous. She felt Gaara put his hand on her face and pull it towards him. He looked deep into her eyes.

"You're not the only one with secrets, Sakura-chan. Where you had a choise in this, what was done to me was done while I was still in the womb. My father was much like that Danzo guy. He wanted perfect weapons so he could overtake Kagure. Suna is a small town compared to the capital and under the radar most of the time." Sakura watched his eyes as they darkened from memories of a painful past.

"We all have our monsters, Sakura-chan. While yours is an internal part of you, mine isn't. I have a demon sealed inside of me. For a long time, it made me unstable. My father discarded me as a failed experiment when I was little. My uncle took me in, cared for me…just like he did my brother and sister. All three of us were subjected to our father's ambition…me more than most." Gaara watched as tears filled her eyes…tears for him. He closed his eyes and put his forehead against hers.

"Both my siblings have scars they hide from our friends. Some more painful that others. When our father died, they fought tooth and nail to ensure that the three of us were given what was our right as his children. The lawyers called it 'compensation for the tortures of being a madman's children'." he smiled at her and kissed her lightly on the lips. She returned the kiss as tears fell down her cheeks.

They parted only slightly, though hesitantly. "I have nothing but admiration and respect for you that you would be so selfless as to go through the pain and suffering you did to protect your son." he kissed her again and then caressed her check. "And…I think I'm falling in love with you…" he said quietly. Sakura gasped and stared at him, her eyes wide. She looked at him before blushing and looking down at their hands, their fingers intertwining unconsciously.

"I…I think I…might be…falling in love with you too, Gaara-kun…" she said breathlessly. She heard his chuckle and looked up to see him looking at her with a strange look. She blushed more and looked away again, only to have him gently grab her chin and make her look at him. He reached down and kissed her, letting her know just how attracted to her he really was. She gasped before he eyes slid closed. They stayed that way for several minutes, until it became imperative for them to take a breath.

Gaara rubbed the skin right below her lip, a smirk on his face. "I guess we should head in before the others get here and ask questions." he said lightly, not taking his eyes off her lips. She licked her lips and nodded, but she saw the desire that flared in his eyes. She blushed and pulled away from him slowly, almost shyly. He smiled then and opened his door. He got Tomi out of the car without waking him, much to Sakura's amazement, and the two adults walked into the house Sakura so dearly loved.


	19. When The Raven Comes A Calling

**A/N:I told my sister I'd work on this as well, so that's what Im gonna do. BTW, I do not own anyone from the anime/manga Naruto, but I have created my own world here, and they are just visiting...lol. JA!!**

* * *

Chapter 19: When The Raven Comes A Calling

Miranda could feel something warm beneath her cheek. She stiffened for a few moments, but then realized what and who it was. She sighed and kept her eyes closed for as long as she could, until she felt the chest bouncing beneath her cheek. She growled lightly and sat up. She was met by a pair of green and a pair of golden eyes. She yawned.

"I haven't slept the last two weeks…it was good to catch up." she mumbled by way of explanation. Both males knew she still suffered side effects from the experiments…her insomnia came from a fear of falling asleep. If she slept, she was vulnerable…if she slept, the memories and dreams came…

Drake put his hand on her head and smiled at her. "You do not need to explain yourself to us, Miranda. We will protect you when you are vulnerable, just as you do for us." Constantine smirked and nodded. Miranda smiled at the two, a slight upturning of the corner of her mouth, and closed her eyes again, leaning against her older brother. She heard both boys murmur to one another, but ignored them in favor for a little more rest…who knew when she'd get another chance.

* * *

"We can not make a move at this time, I'm afraid. She's prepared for us, after the little incident with that blond female friend of yours. I received word from my spy that the man named Kakuzu is dead, and the woman with him, Deidara, is as well. They were taken out by an operative of the Agency, but that is all I could get." evil eyes glared into equally evil, and slightly insane, eyes.

"I told that bitch to stay put. Stupid whore. Should of killed her when I killed her nosy mother and brother." he growled, looking away from the mad scientist. A chuckle was heard and the two men looked up to find a man, much like the woman Yamineska, standing in the doorway. He lifted his arm and Yamineska could be seen behind him, helping him when he needed her.

"Ah, Kimimaru, how are you feeling? Are the treatments helping?" the woman's eyes became very cold as she looked at the military scientist.

"No…your treatments are not helping my ototo. You had best find something to slow down the sickness, Orochimaru-sama, or I will make good on that threat I made when I first brought my ototo here." her voice was soft, but there was obvious power in it. Orochimaru stiffened visibly, and his companion noticed. He wondered what could possibly make this mad man fear this small woman.

"Of course, Yamineska-san. I will start a new treatment immediately. I should be able to cure him if I can find the source. If you have any information of what could possibly be ailing him…" the woman hissed and when the two met her eyes, they were no longer their fuchsia, but a frightening greenish gold.

"I have told you of the curse of our family, human. Cure him or I will show you what true pain feels like." she hissed. She turned her younger brother and looked at the two men over her shoulder.

"I know what you have been doing since I came to you years ago, Orochimaru. If I come across any of the spawn you created from our genetics…I will not hesitate to take your head. Putting others through what we have suffered…if I did not need you to help Kimimaru, I would rip you apart right now." With that said, she ushered her sick brother down the hall, to the room where he stayed. There was coughing heard and the light reassurance from the woman.

Orochimaru sighed and flopped into his chair, his hands slightly shaking. He looked up at a noise from his companion. "Yes, Sasori, I fear her. And for good reason. Not only do I need both of their genetic material to continue my experiments, but she is completely capable of destroying every one here, including me. I may have managed to extend my life four times longer than it should have been, but she and her brother have not aged since they came to me, almost 5 centuries ago. She's the one that taught me to extend my life."

Sasori's eyes widened as he looked over at where the young woman had just been. She was five, maybe more, centuries old? She certainly didn't look it. Sasori shook his head and regarded the scientist. He was wiping the sweat from his brow and looking down. Perhaps this alliance wasn't as promising as he'd thought.

* * *

Kit was watching her brother pace. His fiancé was trying to calm him, but he was clearly agitated by something. Kit could feel the thing inside her shift as she watched him pace. It wanted to pounce on the male and make him submit so that he would stop. However, that would leave her with a lot of questions to answer and she didn't want to tell them. With a sigh, she turned her attention to the other male that was sitting on the bench about two feet from the pacing male.

Kit watched him with unblinking eyes. She noticed him stiffen and look up…straight into her eyes. She gave him a wicked grin and finished tying her boot. She then got up and walked over to him. Her boots made her noticeably taller. Hidan arched a brow at her as she sat down beside him and crossed her legs. His attention was on her long, almost flawless legs.

She chuckled and scooted closer to him. He stiffened and regarded her. She slowly reached out and laid her hand on his chest, slowly drawing little circles on it. She heard his breathing hitch and she smiled wickedly again. She pushed herself up so that they were face to face and she smiled at him again. Hidan blushed and attempted to look away, but there was no where he could look where he didn't see some part of her.

He sighed and looked up into her eyes. It was all he could do not to grab her and throw her to the ground and have his way with her there. He shook his head…he shouldn't be having these thoughts. She was his soon to be brother in law's baby sister. He couldn't feel for her this way. She seemed to have other plans, however, as she leaned against him and whispered in his ear.

"I know you want me…you can't hide it. You feel the pull of my body…I can feel your desire. Perhaps we can help one another." she purred as she ran her fingers over his face. He arched a brow at her and grunted. She giggled and crawled into his lap, making him lean further back in an attempt to escape her. However, he didn't do a very good job.

"Kit…what are you doing?" he said in a hoarse voice. She smiled up at him, her eyes wicked, but her smile innocent.

"We're discussing things like adults. Don't you know how to do that?" she said in a sly tone. She slanted her eyes at him and bit her index finger lightly. "Like I said…perhaps we can help one another." He arched one silver brow as he regarded her.

"How so?" he was almost afraid to hear her answer. When she leaned down so that there was little room between their faces, he blushed brightly. He could feel her breath against his face and it made him want to kiss her.

"Well…you need release every once in a while and I…I have a little problem thanks to the experiments that I went through. " He noticed she looked uncertain at this moment and slowly allowed his arms to creep around her waist. She looked at him and saw the concern in his eyes and it gave her the courage to speak. "You see…the experiments were kind of like genetic tampering. Children with promising talents are genetically merged with a catalyst-like strain of DNA that…well…brings out the animal in us. These…creatures…can be tampered with, unlike normal animals. Their behavior can be altered to the point of being extremely aggressive or extremely submissive." Hidan regarded her and then remembered the extremely aggressive female from earlier.

"You mean like the female from earlier? The one Sakura-san called 'Pack Master'?" he noticed Kit stiffen, but then settle down and nod.

"Well, kind of. Miranda-san is aggressive even by our standards. I don't know many of the submissives, so I can't give you an example. However, they never fight back…ever. They just lie down and let people do whatever they want. Orochimaru normally tried to 'tweak' the females to this disposition, but I'm guessing that Miranda and myself were 'un-tweakable'. Nee-san is an anomaly for us. She's the first to ever go through the program at childbearing age. There's no telling how it's affected her." Hidan's eyes glazed and his brows knitted together. He rubbed at a spot on his chest in memory and shook his head.

"So that's why it hurt so damn bad. I hadn't thought she'd attack me, but when I almost managed to catch her, I guess she felt I was threatening her kid. Must have triggered her aggression." He looked up and noticed her nodding. He arched a brow and narrowed his eyes. "So…what's this 'little problem' you are talking about?" He noticed her blush for a second before her smile turned wicked.

"You see, since there is an animalistic part of us, we tend to take on animalistic features and tendencies. You have heard of how Gaara came across me, no?" Hidan arched a brow and shook his head.

"No…I don't think so. If I did, I don't remember." She chuckled one good time and sat up straight, causing him to gasp. She could feel his excitement against her bottom.

"Gaara found me in an alleyway, fighting several men much larger than myself. They were trying to rape me." Hidan's eyes widened as he regarded her. However, she never gave him the chance to respond. "You see, weak minded males are easily controlled by the pheromones that exude from program females. It's the same for weak minded females in the presence of a program male. Fortunately, people like yourself, Gaara-niisan, and most of Nee-san's friends, thankfully, are immune. Aniki and Konan-chan are immune as well. Even that idiot Tobi is immune, though I think Zet has a lot to do with that." Hidan chuckled as well, until he felt her arms creep around his neck and pull him closer to her. He was soon resting his chin on her cleavage, making him blush again.

"Unfortunately, I am not unaffected. There is a period of three days during this time that I am vulnerable. Because I chose to refrain from pursuing a physical relationship with a male that I had no interest in, these 'urges' are getting more and more hard to ignore." She smiled and stroked his hair back from his eyes. "That's where you come in. I will alleviate your tension if you will protect me during that three day span." she noticed his eyes bulge and his arousal pulsed under her. He seemed intrigued by the idea.

"Kit…you want to exchange sex for my protecting you?" he seemed shocked and highly offended. She just giggled at him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear.

"You are thinking of the wrong kind of protection. That offer was as much for my benefit as for yours. I think they call it a mutual giving and taking?" she giggled and licked the side of his face. Hidan just stared at her with wide, albeit aroused, eyes. He was about to say something when a shout had their attention. Hidan was on his feet instantly, Kit on the bench, pouting. He looked at her one more time before turning away from her.

Kit sighed and laid back on the bench, kicking herself for trusting him with that information. She watched him as he walked away from her. Suddenly, he stopped, though he didn't turn around. "I will protect you whenever you need me, Kit." he said in a quiet voice, before he started walking away again.

Kit stared at his back as he walked away from her. A smile broke out on her face and she hopped up off the bench before walking after him. He'd agreed to protect her, but who would protect him from her?

* * *

Sarutobi watched the young woman move about the apartment he'd allowed the military people to stay in. The men stayed on the first floor, while the women took the upstairs. He just hoped the blond woman named Deidara was behaving herself. He heard yelling upstairs and sighed wearily. However, when he moved to get up, Uri was the one to stop him. "I will see what is going on. It is most likely one of the new recruits making a fuss." Sarutobi nodded and sat back down with his cup of tea.

Uri made his way upstairs and could hear the yelling getting louder. He wondered why Guan-yin wasn't doing anything about it, but he just sighed. Most of the women were star struck with Sarutobi in their presence…perhaps his Colonel wasn't all that different? He had reached the top of the stairs when part of the conversation reached him.

"You're nothing but a whore! What would you know of military protocol and tactics!" Uri flinched at the harsh voice of one of the more brash recruits. She'd made moves on himself, even Danzo, but neither had encouraged her attentions.

"I'm NOT a whore! I used to be a COMPANION you stupid twit! There is a difference between them and if you don't know it, you are too ignorant to have any standing in any type of military! A companion doesn't have sex, we merely entertain the client by bolstering his ego and making him feel like a man. I have NEVER engaged in sexual activities with a client!" Uri could tell there were tears in her eyes and his eyes narrowed. If what she said was true, then she had no reason to defend herself. Why were the recruits attacking her personality?

"Right. Like there really is a difference! You're a whore any way you look at it. Whether you work on the street or in a brothel, you're still a whore. Whore's don't have brains, just wide open legs. Why don't you go try to seduce Lt. Colonel Uri. You'd have a better chance of convincing him your so called 'Shadow Step' is plausible than people that are immune to your whorish ways." Uri's face heated up at the obvious dig at his ability to resist her. He straightened his shoulders and walked into the room.

"You really think seducing me is that simple, private? I would have thought you learned differently when you failed to seduce me yourself." his thick accent veiled the anger in his words. He noticed the woman pale as he appeared, as if from no where. The blond woman known as Deidara had tears in her eyes as she stared at him in shock. He shook his head.

"I have to admit, that I find it hard to differentiate between this 'companion' the Americans refer to, and a common whore, but I have heard of them." his eyes were cold as he stared at the young woman who'd attacked Deidara's, and his, persona. He turned towards Deidara, his eyes softening a bit. "I suggest you stay close to Sarutobi-sama. You have caused enough trouble for tonight." Deidara looked at the floor, tears falling down her cheeks now. He then looked back at the recruit once more. "You would know all about whores lacking brains but abounding in space between their legs, though yours is often filled with other recruits. I will be informing the Colonel of your lack of respect for your commanding officers. If you are lucky, you will get a honorable discharge." He turned on his heel and walked out. He was walking down the stairs once more when soft weeping caught his attention. He would have missed it had it not been for the fact that Sarutobi met him at the bottom of the stairs with a glare.

"Young man…you really need to learn tact. It was not Deidara that started that scuffle, it was the recruit. I knew something like this would happen. Women scorned are more vile than any war. That woman treated Deidara like that because she's jealous that you actually paid attention to Deidara in my shop." Uri's eyes widened and he was about to deny it, but the old general scoffed. "Say what you wish, Lt. Colonel, but even I can feel the attraction between the two of you. You are uncomfortable with your feelings for her. Very well, I will talk to Sakura and you will not have to worry about Deidara any longer. I will not send that girl back to the Imperial City only to be treated like she has been thus far." Sarutobi turned away from the young man, but Uri was frozen solid.

Deidara wouldn't be going to the Imperial City? Thoughts whirled around in Uri's mind. If she didn't make a new life in the Imperial City, what would she do? Surely she would not go back to being a companion. Allowing men to ogle her and feel like they were someone because they had a trophy on their arms. She claimed she never had sex with clients, but what if one tried to force her. What if Sasori found her? Uri stiffened at that thought. The man would obviously kill her should he ever catch her.

Uri's eyes frosted over and he walked where he could hear Sarutobi whispering to a softly weeping Deidara. He paused outside the door. "Deidara, I can have Sakura send you somewhere safe, but you have to let it go. You can't hold on to him." Uri stiffened, thinking the old man was talking about Sasori. Uri was about to turn on his heel when Deidara spoke.

"I know, Sarutobi-sama, but…Uri, he…he's been so kind to me…I…it hurts so bad…knowing he thinks I'm nothing but trouble…" Uri blushed. She cared what he thought of her? She cared about him? A small smile broke out on his usually stoic face. He silently slipped into the room. Sarutobi looked up at the man, his eyes narrowed. Uri bowed his head and quietly sank to his knees behind the distraught woman.

Uri suddenly wrapped his arms around the young woman, making her jump in surprise. She whirled around and came face to face with him. Uri smiled shyly at her and nuzzled her hair. "You really think that I consider you nothing but trouble?" he said, his accent even thicker than before. He heard her gasp, before she buried her face in his shoulder. She cried against him, her words broken. He rubbed her back and kissed her hair.

Sarutobi left them, a small smile on his face. He was met outside the room by Guan-yin, a sad smile on her face. "I must say that I have never seen Uri this happy since he was taken from his country at a young age. He was a prisoner of war, who later found his family had been killed in the war. That's the first time I've seen him smile in almost seven years." Sarutobi nodded and they both started walking away from the newfound lovers. A small squeal came from the room and Sarutobi chuckled when Guan-yin blushed darkly.

"Do not worry about them, Colonel. They have a bond that is different from most. They need each other more than they will ever be willing to admit. Deidara was hurt by someone that she thought she'd loved. Uri was hurt by the people he was loyal to. They will heal each other. The military is going to have to learn that taking people against their will is not the way to build an army." Guan-yin looked over at Sarutobi and noticed he really did look his age at that moment. She put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him.

"We will all fight to make the Kingdom a better place. One battle at a time." she smiled and walked away. Sarutobi smiled and looked at her. He shook his head and smiled.

"That one is more like my late wife than any youth should be. If anyone can pull it off, it will be her." he said quietly and walked back to the steps. He had a few recruits to frighten into obedience.

* * *

Drake's golden eyes stared out the window as they passed shop after shop on their way to meet Crimson. They hadn't seen her in so long…he wondered what she looked like now. He knew she'd constantly changed her appearance to try and hide from something. There was an obvious fear in the young mother.

That word struck him…Sakura was a mother. She had a child and had never told them. He was a little hurt she had not trusted them enough to allow them knowledge of her child…it would have made convincing his superiors that she needed the program a hell of a lot easier. He shook his head and looked forward. Constantine was napping, his head on his arm as he was turned around so that he could see the two in the back.

Drake smiled. Seemed that Constantine didn't like it that Miranda, their sister, was draped over him like a fine scarf. Drake regarded the black haired youth with bright green eyes. He wondered how the young man would react if he ever learned that his 'big brother' Drake was in love with him. Drake sighed in resignation. Probably not very well…Constantine was a ladies man…would always be a ladies man.

Sadness ripped through Drake as he regarded his young, but unwilling, lover. He knew that it irked Constantine to do the things they did together. He just wished the youth wasn't so vocal about his dislike. Drake sighed and stared at the man. He traced the other male's slightly feminine brows, the delicate arch of his cheekbones, the blacker than black fringes of lashes around those beautiful green eyes…

Drake blushed when he noticed that Constantine's eyes were open and watching him. The look in the other man's eyes said that he knew something was up. Drake tried to play it off by brushing his hand over Miranda's hair. He heard an almost inaudible growl and looked up to see Constantine's eyes were changing colors. Slightly confused, Drake reached for the other male, who gave him a petulant look.

The emerald eyed male huffed and whirled away. Drake could feel hurt and jealousy radiating from the other male. Surprise lanced through the golden eyed man. Constantine…was jealous? A smile curved Drakes lips as he looked up front at his lover. Constantine was jealous that Miranda was in his arms. That meant that Constantine was at least a little attached to his dominant partner. He decided to reassure the male.

Carefully shifting so that he didn't wake Miranda, but he could still reach the black haired male, he ran his long fingered hands through Constantine's hair, pulling it slightly so that he could whisper to the other male. Surprise and pleasure radiated off his green eyed lover then.

"Miranda is my sister…_you _are my lover. I have not been with another since we were teens. You do not have to worry about me." He felt the air leave Constantine's lungs at the confession and his breathing pick up rapidly. The other male nodded and Drake released him, noticing their driver looked worried.

Deciding to save his lover's reputation, he spoke in a growled voice so that both could hear him. "Do not ever forget that Constantine." there was fire in the golden depths of the older male's eyes that made the younger shiver. The driver ignored them from then on. Constantine looked back at Drake with thankful eyes and mouthed 'Thank you'. Drake nodded and gave the other male a hot look. He mouthed 'We need to talk later' and Constantine nodded, wondering if the talk would end up like so many others, with the two of them naked and in bed together.

* * *

Ino was sitting with Kiba and Kankuro, who had refused to leave. Ino wondered if Kankuro was alright…he hadn't tried to grope her and that was unusual. The only girls he had never groped were Hinata and his sisters. The brunette seemed fidgety to her and she looked concerned. However, that concern melted when the same black vehicle from earlier pulled up to the curb in front of the shop. She called everyone over, for safety purposes.

She arched one blond brow and watched as a man with black hair and green eyes slid from the front passenger seat. She also noticed that Kankuro hovered near the curb, as if waiting for something. The back of the car opened and revealed a man with silver hair and golden eyes. He helped the violet haired, violet eyed woman from earlier out of the vehicle. She was rubbing her eyes, as if she'd just woken up.

Ino noticed Kankuro staring at the girl with wide, concerned eyes. It was then that the silver haired man talked. "Where is Crimson?" he asked in an icy voice. Ino arched a brow and put on her best blank face.

"No one here by that name. Who are you?" She noticed the flicker in his eyes and wondered at the man. He closed his eyes and looked back at Miranda.

"I am called Golden Dragon. This is Dark Angel and Pack Master. We are here on direct orders to reactivate Crimson Blossom as an agent until she has fulfilled her mission to it's fullest extent." He noticed the narrowing of eyes on the blonde's part. She lifted her chin and glared at him.

"What mission? I was not informed there was a mission. I wont take you one step until you explain your motivations. This 'Crimson' of yours is like a sister to me…I wont allow you near her unless you can prove yourselves trustworthy." The silver haired man tilted his head to the side and smirked, shrugging.

"As you wish. The Agency has received intelligence that the man that killed her parents, Akasuna no Sasori, has escaped from his prison. He was last seen headed in this general direction, under the guidance of a man by the name of Orochimaru." They felt a stillness come over the group and then growling. They noticed a young woman with odd hair and eyes. She looked feral at that moment. The black haired male gasped and leaned in to whisper something and the silver haired male nodded. Instantly, both males attention was on their red headed friend, who seemed intensely upset by something. Ino narrowed her eyes on them once more.

"If what you say is true, then she is in danger, correct?" the silver haired man looked at her, while the black haired man continued to stare at the red head. The growling was constant, and obviously threatening. Ino turned to the girl with a stern look. "Kit, pipe down until we have a few answers. Don't make me call Gaara." both males noticed the red headed girl swallow her growls, but the hostility was still there as she stood, ready for battle. The blond turned back to them and crossed her arms over her chest. "Answer the question."

The silver haired man nodded and pulled a folder out. "We have been keeping an eye on activity in this area since there were whispers that the military scientist, Orochimaru, was found dead in his home. There were reports of a young girl in his care at the time. She was never found." both men looked back at Kit, who glared openly at them.

"Don't play coy with me, asshole. I know what you are saying with those evasive words. Yes, I am the girl that sick bastard had when he died. You want to know the truth? I killed him…I ripped him to shreds for what he did to me and countless other girls. Had I managed to get to Kabuto, the bastard would have stayed dead. However, when the neighbor called the police, I had to run. I'm not sorry for killing him. He had it coming, and if you think I'll go with you quietly to be put down like a rabid animal, you're wrong…dead wrong." she hissed and crouched in a defensive pose.

Suddenly, Miranda was between the two males and the young red head. Her eyes were glowing dangerously, as were Kit's. Both females were glaring and growling. "You will not threaten my brothers, cub. You may be one of our kind, but you are not of our pack. You have no pack, you are a rogue. Rogues must be destroyed." she hissed and was about to attack when the brunette that she'd taken care of stepped between them.

"I wont let you hurt Kit." he said in a stern voice. Violet eyes widened on him in surprise. His voice mesmerized her.

"W-what are you doing?" she asked, a slight blush on her face. Both her brothers noticed and glowered at the man. However, the brunette didn't budge. Soon, Temari and Tenten joined him.

"Kit may not be part of your 'pack', but she is part of our family. I wont allow you to hurt her." The three agents looked at one another before backing off. The brunette turned and looked at Hidan, who had tensed to protect the moment the two males had stepped out of the vehicle. "Hidan, take Kit to the car. We'll meet you there shortly." the silver haired male nodded and picked the busty red head up. The girl growled and started beating at his back as he slung her over his shoulder and made his way over to Temari's car.

Ino nodded and turned from the three before looking at them over her shoulder. "I'll take you to Sakura-chan. However, if you hurt her, or betray her, you will face Gaara's wrath…and if that happens, you will wish you were dead." All three nodded and climbed back into their car. Ino walked to hers and everyone dispersed to catch a ride to Sakura's house.


	20. The Secret of DNA

**A/N: I know this is a turn to the weird, but that's what I'm known for. Enjoy and remember, I don't own Naruto, just my plots.**

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Chapter 20: The Secret of DNA

"I do not trust this new man Orochimaru has brought here. He looks at you funny nee-san." came the light voice of the tall, teal eyed young man leaning against a fuchsia eyed young woman almost two heads shorter than the younger male. She looked up at him, her eyes soft for once.

"I know, Ototo. I do not trust him either. I also do not trust Orochimaru. He has had plenty of time to figure this out, and yet you are still sick. He is not holding up his end of our bargain. He has until the next full moon or I will destroy him and all his plans." she held her brother tight as he coughed again. She could smell the blood he coughed up. She felt tears burn her crimson stained bottom lashes. "I wish I could take the pain from you, Ototo. I wish I could help you myself. But even I can not stop this disease from destroying your body." she sighed and closed her eyes. She helped him to the room he'd been lying in when he'd had a coughing fit and she'd come to help him.

As she laid him on his bed, a knock came from the door. Yamineska turned and found a young girl with short black hair and blank green eyes. Yamineska bid her enter. "Yoko…what have you to report?" the young woman looked up at Yamineska, her eyes holding tears. The older female growled and watched the younger as tears fell down her face.

"I do not like this place, mistress. These men…they use our kind shamelessly. I want to leave here…please…don't let him do that to me again. You are the only one that can stop him. If he tells me I must, I have no choice but to listen…please mistress…" Yamineska looked down at her brother, who had pity in his eyes for the girl. She sighed and put her hand on the girl's forehead. Two crimson dots appeared and suddenly, those blank green eyes were like a spring meadow. They looked up with intelligence and gratitude.

"Thank you mistress. I will care for the young master while you do what is necessary. If he needs you, I will call. I swear by my life, I will help him." Yamineska was about to ask how she could possibly help, when the young woman walked over to her brother and laid her hands on him. Yamineska noticed how much easier it was for him to breath. Her eyes narrowed on the girl.

"What magic is this? If you could do this, why did Orochimaru not send you sooner?" The young woman looked at her feet, frightened.

"Nee-san…she is one of his captives. Can you not smell it…she has been used in his experiments. Our DNA has been embedded in her. It is painful for her. It is why she was able to take the mark you gave her. She is one of us now…truly. You have converted her by taking the conditioning from her." Her younger brother smiled up at the girl, who took his hand and nuzzled it.

"Thank you, young master. Thank you so much…I was unsure how to tell you…I heard what you told Orochimaru. You are right…he has not been keeping his end of the bargain…he's been using your DNA to create people like me…like the girl he's after. She was the strongest. She killed his last body. She will be the savior of his captives, as you have been mine, mistress." Yamineska looked at the girl through narrowed eyes.

"This girl you speak of…she is that powerful, just from introducing our DNA to her body?" the young girl, Yoko, nodded.

"She was a very strong talent before the introduction of her DNA. I was her caretaker when we were here. She ran away and killed Orochimaru's last body before she fled. She is very powerful, from what I can remember." She noticed the older female narrow her eyes.

"If this is true, she may endanger us. Exposure to humans, other than those we already know, is dangerous. Should she have converted, she will have to be put down. Only those that bear my mark are allowed to live. I have not been integrating our kind these last thousands of years just to allow a rogue to destroy everything I have worked for." the girl's eyes widened as she looked at Yamineska.

"Mistress, you are queen of our kind, and as such, you of all people should understand the curse. Even as a half breed, I suffered. Those who do not fully convert, will die. They can not live a half existence…it isn't possible. They will die!" Yamineska closed her eyes and turned away.

"You are right…I more than anyone know the pain of this. I was the first child born to that despicable union. I was the first to suffer the curse set forth by a scorned lover. And it is because I was the first, that I must ensure that we are protected and safe. Should the girl prove to be no danger, she will live. Thank you for reminding me I am not the monster Orochimaru calls me, Yoko." The young girl smiled and turned back to Kimimaro when he started coughing. She crooned at him and suddenly stripped her dress off, leaving her in soothing tan undergarments.

"I will sooth you, young master. My skin will keep the pain at bay." she laid down by the young man and wrapped her arms around him. Yamineska watched as the strain on his face eased and he breathed much easier. Her eyes softened. Her brother wasn't suffering in that moment in time. That was enough for her. She turned and pushed a button, sending a metal shield over the two as she locked the room and left them to do her job. There were people that Orochimaru still wanted for his 'plan'. Well, she had other plans that didn't involve him getting what he wanted.

* * *

Sarutobi was sitting in his living room when there was a knock at his door. A chill crept up his spin and he turned to see if any of the young Military Police were around. He carefully went to the door and regarded it. "Who's there?" there was no answer on the other side, merely another knock. He narrowed his eyes and took the large metal bo staff he kept by his front door as he reached for the handle.

"I would not do that if I were you. There are men with tranquilizer guns on the other side waiting for you." he whirled around and came face to face with a short woman with pale silver hair and fuchsia eyes. His own eyes narrowed on her.

"What are you doing here? How did you get in my home?" the woman motioned him to step aside. Suddenly, she threw out her hand and several screams were heard from the outside. Sarutobi noticed the holes in his front door and narrowed his eyes on the girl behind him.

"I did not come here to harm you. Quite the opposite actually. I am here to seek your help…Hero of Kagure." Sarutobi's eyes widened and he regarded her. He put his bo staff down and bid her follow him. He went to a closet and picked up a sheet of metal. He slowly walked back to his door and covered it with the sheet. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then hit the metal at all four corners. It melded to his front door, making the girl's eyes widen slightly.

"Now…what is it you needed from this old man?" he asked, his eyes cautious. The girl turned cold fuchsia eyes to him.

"I need your help to save my brother from a man named Orochimaru." She watched his black eyes turn to pinpoints and the old man sat heavily back onto the chair behind him. The old man seemed shocked. "You are shocked by the news he is still alive…why?" Sarutobi shook his head and looked at her.

"Orochimaru was a young man when I was up and coming in the military. I even taught him for a while. He never was around much, so I never really noticed he never aged, until I heard a rumor from the inner rings." he noticed her eyes narrow on him and he shook his head. "More than a few of us wondered if he was dabbling in the dark arts. Several people swore he'd found the Elixir of Immortality. I think he's using others to prolong his life somehow. Regardless, that monster must be stopped." He noticed the girl go still.

"He is a monster for living abnormally long? For appearing young, even though he is actually centuries old?" The man looked at her, his eyes annoyed.

"He's a monster for using people like guinea pigs. He's a monster because he thinks everyone's at his disposal and has no regard for life. Immortality is a gift given to a select few…he is not one that deserves it." he noticed her eyes soften and she sat. Many of her gestures reminded him of the old ways. Especially the fact she was barefoot. "Tell me, young lady…how is it you know that he is centuries old?" her eyes became sad then.

"Because it was my foolishness that keeps him alive." he stared at her, but said nothing. She took this as consent to continue. "Four hundred years ago, I came across a young scientist. He was a promising young man in the medical field. He'd cured several things most doctors could not figure out. I approached him about examining my young brother, Kimimaro." she looked at her hands, her eyes conveying shame. "Kimimaro is the only family I have left…I would do anything to save him. In exchange for Orochimaru finding a cure for my ototo's illness, I taught him how to prolong his life." Sarutobi gasped and stood, staring down at her. "I do not expect for a human to understand, but I would like to correct my mistake. Like I said…it's been four hundred years and he has yet to cure my ototo. He is using our DNA to mutate humans with special gifts. If they are not brought to me to finish their conversion, they will suffer immense pain, and eventually die. Some convert not long after they are exposed, but they are prone to insanity. I must stabilize them." Sarutobi nodded and grabbed his jacket.

"If that is the case, there is someone I wish for you to meet. I have to know though…can I trust you? If I take you to this person, you can never tell anyone you know her. She is very precious to me, much like your brother is to you." her eyes met him and she nodded.

"I will keep your secret. But I want you to help me find a cure for my brother. Orochimaru has broken his word with me, and in return, he will no longer be permitted to prolong his life. He is vulnerable right now." Sarutobi nodded and smirked at her.

"I'm sure that since you are at his hideout, you've come across a man named Sasori?" he noticed her stiffen and frown. He chuckled. "Yeah…you've met him. He has that affect on people, or so I'm told." she just glared at him as he led her to the back door. "The reason Sasori is here is because of a young woman. Her name, is Sakura." he heard her gasp and turned to see her wide, fuchsia eyes on him.

"Sakura…you mean a young woman with bright emerald eyes and pink hair?" Sarutobi arched a brow and nodded.

"Indeed. She was kidnapped and raped by Sasori. She has a son as a result. A son she loves so much, that she willing underwent the same 'conversion' you were speaking of earlier. She willingly exposed herself to your DNA to protect her son." the girl's eyes widened further and she grabbed his arm.

"I must meet with her. She can save my brother!" Sarutobi looked shocked and nodded absently. They left, quickly leaving the premises so that they could not be followed.

* * *

Ino looked back at the brunette sitting in her back seat, staring back at the black car following them. She arched a brow at his antics and decided to ask him what was going on. "Kankuro, what's up with you? You've been acting weird ever since that girl brought you back from the states." Kiba, who was sitting in the seat beside her, turned and looked at the other brunette.

"Yeah, I been wondering the same thing. You haven't been actin normal since that girl brought you back. What's goin on with you, buddy?" Kiba watched Kankuro tear his gaze from the car and rub his head.

"I honestly don't know. The last thing I remember is being in my hotel room. I don't remember how I got here or who brought me. All I know is that I kept having dreams about a girl with violet hair and eyes taking care of me. She was so gentle with me…it's almost like she loved me. I keep seeing my dream girl in that woman. I don't know why…" He scratched the back of his head and sighed. He was still so tired. With a sigh, he laid on his side and promptly passed out. His light snores made Ino arch her brow.

"Did Miranda ever tell you why he sleeps like that?" she asked, partially worried, partially amused. Kiba shrugged.

"I think I remember something about mind control, but not really. I do know that she said something to Sakura about that guy that kidnapped her. She got really upset. I thought Gaara was going to destroy his cup." Ino frowned. She wasn't thrilled about taking these people to see Sakura, but she really didn't have a choice. Sakura trusted them, but she wasn't so sure. There was something off about the three of them.

* * *

Kit was seething. Those males had just implied a lot of things about her. She noticed the nervous glances from her brother, who seemed to be thinking some not so pleasant thoughts. She huffed and turned to stare out the window. She stiffened when she felt a hand on her thigh. She looked over from the corner of her eye to see Hidan, but his eyes faced forward. She smiled, thankful his opinion of her hadn't changed.

* * *

Miranda was glaring at both her 'brothers'. It was stupid of them to think that just because she hadn't ever shown interest in a guy that she never would…and she'd told them so. Constantine had been shocked, his mouth hanging open, but Drake had narrowed his eyes on her. He'd reminded her they weren't normal humans and involving oneself with a normal person could be dangerous. Which was what led to their current glaring match.

"You and Constantine engage in carnal relations with normal human females all the time. Well, at least Constantine does." She turned her head away from Drake, knowing the oldest male would refute what she said.

"That's different, Miranda. Those women mean nothing to us. What just happened proves you have some kind of emotional attachment to that boy. You've never faltered when one of us were in danger." Miranda had finally heard enough. She was done discussing this.

"For all that is holy, Drake, you weren't in danger. She was pissed that we mentioned Orochimaru and she was even more pissed that the two of you were glaring at her like she was his fucking doll. I don't blame her for getting pissed. What would the two of you had done had the rolls been reversed and it was me in her position? As long as we've been together, you can't say you wouldn't have put yourself between someone you didn't know and your little sister! I don't like the girl any more than you do, but you can't blame her for being upset! Did you two even LOOK at her?" both Drake and Constantine were shocked by her outburst. She normally never acted like this. Miranda rubbed her temples. Her head was hurting again.

"I saw what the two of you obviously didn't. That girl is in more pain than anyone I've ever seen. I can see the wear and tear on her, because it's starting to happen to me too. She needs our help, not our hatred. She didn't ask for any of these…none of us did." she said quietly and then glared up at them. "And before butting into my personal life, why don't you straighten up your own. I'm tired of the longing glances at each other when you think no one's looking. I may be a little slow, but I'm not dense. I smelled you all over each other when you got in the car earlier." Drake's eyes widened, but then he gave her a blank stare.

"I have no idea-" she cut him off with a growl.

"Bullshit! You know exactly what I'm talking about. You two are so caught up with trying to make sure no one finds out about your inner beasts that you're hurting each other!" both males gasped and looked at each other. They looked back at Miranda, who was clenching her fists. "Open your damn eyes, both of you! If you did, you'd actually see what's there! Everyone at the office can see it, it's why you're so popular with the women. Everyone but the two of you can tell you're completely head over heels in love with each other!" she yelled and then shoved the door open, stepping out. Constantine was blushing so badly he was sure he'd pass out. Drake was just staring at where Miranda had been, wide eyed.

Drake recovered a little quicker and looked over at Constantine, who blushed even more and looked at his hands. Drake reached out and caressed the younger man's cheek. When green met gold, understanding passed between them. "We will have to talk about this later…" Drake said softly. Constantine nodded, his eyes sad suddenly. Drake smirked and reached over, placing his lips gently on the younger mans. Constantine gasped and then moaned. It took all the self control Drake had to pull away. "We'd better get out or people will say things." he chuckled at the petulant look on his lover's face.

"Hn…Let them. I don't care anymore." he growled, but got out regardless. Drake chuckled and shook his head. When they got out, it was in front of a nice two story house. Both sensed that this place was much more than it appeared. They looked at one another and then walked to where Miranda was standing with the blond girl that had given them the third degree.

* * *

Blazing burnt red eyes searched the rooms for the young woman he'd used to sate his lust. He'd just finished his 'training' as Orochimaru had called it, and was in need for release. He looked around, but the girl was no where that he could find. He remembered what Orochimaru has said about the girl.

_"She's what I like to call a 'submissive'. She has no choice but to do what she is told. It's imprinted in her DNA." _the snake man had laughed evilly and Sasori had to admit, the man was ingenious for doing such a thing. He had a bunch of females that did what ever they were told.

"Yoko, I order you to come to me at once!" he yelled. He heard a noise and went to a door that had a window on it. He looked in and noticed a metal case that had blue light coming from the cracks and creases in it. He could also see the outlines of two figures. One was lying, flat on it's back, while the other, obviously female, was lying on it's side, shivering. He growled menacingly. "Yoko, I know you're in there. I order you to come to me, right now!" when a hand reached over and touch the smaller figure, it stopped shivering. He heard a muffled voice.

"Yoko is currently servicing me. She has been instructed by her mistress to not leave my side until I am no longer in need of her services." came a smug, somewhat amused voice. Sasori growled and tried to open the door. When he touched it, however, he received a nasty shock. He looked at his smoking hand and then at the door. He heard the voice again. "You will only harm yourself. My sister has made it that only herself can enter this room." he heard a giggle and then a low chuckle. He growled and stomped away, punching the wall as he went.


	21. First Move: Check

**A/N: Fun Fun...I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter 21: First Move: Check

Gaara walked down the hall of the upstairs. He'd been through every room in the house since they'd been there and he was impressed. There were locks on every window, the glass could only be broken from the inside. The doors were reinforced, just in case someone tried to break through them. There were hidden weapons all over, every one of them out of Tomi's reach, and there were emergency buttons everywhere, directly linked to the authorities. He could hear Sakura as she sang to Tomi, who was giggling in the bath tub.

Gaara walked to where she was and leaned against the bathroom door. He watched Sakura rinse the boy's hair and giggle as he splashed, sending a small spout of water to soak her red top. She started tickling him, being gentle and loving. He tensed at a knock on the door downstairs.

"Gaara-kun, could you get that please?" she said as she drained the water from the tub and picked Tomi up in a fluffy tan towel. Gaara nodded and turned, his hand on the banister as he walked down. He stood in front of the door and glared.

"Who's there?" he asked in a deep, low voice. He heard muttering on the other side and then a gruff answer.

"Jehovah's Witness." Gaara's eyes narrowed and he held up his hand. Suddenly, an eye appeared in his hand. He put two fingers from his right hand to his left eye and then dispersed the sand eye. When it formed again, on the other side of the door, he found several men in suits standing there. They had odd looking guns and motioning to go around to the back. Gaara growled low in his throat.

"Not interested. Get the hell off my property before I sick my dogs on you." he snapped and suddenly two large Doberman pinchers appeared. They greeted him eagerly and he smirked. He watched the ears of both dogs perk and then they raced to the back door, growling and barking viciously. He heard a yell and then saw figures running to the street. He whistled and both dogs trotted back inside, one had a piece of suit in its mouth. Gaara chuckled and shook his head.

"Good girls." he said and patted both on the head. "Go lay down until I bring Sakura down. You both will have to get used to her and my son." the dogs, who were extremely intelligent, sniffed his hand and then went to lie down.

"Sakura, I'll be right back. Stay upstairs." he heard her 'okay' and he shut his eyes. He told both dogs to protect the house, and then he disappeared. When he opened his eyes again, he was at his own home, which was small, since he shared it with his siblings. He grabbed a few boxes and threw his clothes and the things he'd need immediately inside. He then grabbed a stuffed teddy and smiled at it. It was worn, but he figured Tomi would like it. He put that in the top of one of the boxes and then closed his eyes again.

When he opened them this time, it was to see both his dogs standing at the door, whining. His eyes narrowed. They only did that when one of his siblings was around. He grabbed the boxes and headed upstairs. "Sakura, honey, I'm back." he heard her giggle and then stick her head out of Tomi's bedroom.

"Tomi wants you to tell him a bedtime story." there was a smile on her face and happiness in her eyes. For the first time in his life, Gaara felt at home. He smiled and nodded.

"Alright, I'll be there in a second. Just let me put these boxes down." he noticed her arched brow and he smirked. He set the boxes down and walked over to her. He held out his hand and she watched as sand swirled around in his hand and then suddenly a glass rose appeared. He handed it to her and smirked. "One of my many talents." she arched a brow and smirked at him.

"Many huh? We'll see about that. If you can last one day as a dad, then we'll talk." she chuckled when he scowled at her. He watched as she walked to the staircase and pointed to Tomi's room. "One bed time story. Don't let him talk you into any more…he'd just trying to stay up. Gaara nodded and walked in. Tomi was lying on his little bed, staring at him expectantly. Gaara couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips. He sat down and picked up the book of bed time stories Sakura had obviously been reading him. He started reading and watched Tomi's rapt face. It made his heart glow to see the boy so happy.

* * *

Sakura had just walked downstairs when two growls met her. Her eyes widened as she saw two Doberman pinchers lying at the foot of the steps. She arched a brow and then looked at where she knew Gaara to be. He hadn't told her he had dogs…she sighed and looked at the two. It was probably for the best. Dogs were added security. She sat on the steps and whistled to them.

"Here puppies. Come here. Come here you pretty little things." she snapped her fingers gently. Both dogs stood and carefully climbed the steps and sniffed her. The larger of the two dogs licked her hand and laid down on the step where her legs where, putting it's head in her lap. She chuckled as the smaller dog started nuzzling her hand, wanting attention. She smiled and scratched both behind the ears. A sudden noise had both dogs on their feet, their eyes alert and their ears swiveling. Sakura watched the two dogs as they both crept towards the front door. Sakura almost screamed when the front door opened and Ino was standing there, Kankuro hot on her heels.

"Cripes, Ino, you scared me to death!" Sakura noticed both dogs glaring at the blond and called them both back to her. "Here, come here. She's a friend." she noticed their tails, or the little stub that used to be their tails, wagging as Kankuro got closer.

"HEY girls! I didn't know you two would be here!" he dropped to his knees and started playing with the two large Dobermans. Sakura smiled and shook her head.

"Well, you seem to know them, so I assume they are Gaaras." the man looked up, his eyes confused.

"Why would my brother's dogs be here?" he asked and looked at the two dogs. Sakura blushed and was about to answer when a deep voice from the top of the stairs beat her to it.

"I live here now, with Sakura-chan." Sakura looked up and found herself drowning in those gorgeous jade eyes. She heard Kankuro say something and then looked at the other people following him inside. Behind Kankuro was Kiba, who was followed by Kit, Hidan, Konan, and Pein. Sakura told them to go into the kitchen and they nodded. Hot on the heels of the others was Miranda, who froze at the sight of the dogs. Both dogs were staring at her and she stared back. Suddenly, she smirked and walked up to them and patted both on the head.

"I never figured you for a dog person, Sakura-chan. You always struck me as a cat person." Sakura laughed and looked up at Gaara.

"I am a cat person. But Tomi is allergic to cats and these sweethearts are Gaaras. Since he lives with me, I can't exactly turn them away. Besides, they're added security." She heard Gaara chuckle and saw the wicked look on his face.

"_Excellent _security, actually. Chased those 'Jehovah's Witnesses' all the way back to their sanctuary." Everyone arched a brow and he just chuckled. He motioned them in and waited until Drake and Constantine had come in before shutting the door and locking it. Sakura looked over at Kit, who nodded and went about familiarizing herself with the house. Hidan went with her. They were told to be quiet because Tomi was sleeping. Kit had saluted Gaara with a smirk.

"Yes sir, Daddy sir." she'd run away to keep from getting smacked for her sarcasm. Everyone else had chuckled and/or giggled. Sakura then turned her eyes on Pein, who had nodded.

"My name is Pein. I was once the leader of Akatsuki, the group to which Akasuna no Sasori used to belong." he heard growling from three people, but Sakura held up her hand and motioned him to continue.

"Since I moved to the United States, I began amassing a large fortune and contacts. I was trying to find out who murdered my family. I became blinded because my only concern was my revenge. Because of my blindness, Sasori did things he had not been ordered to do, and eventually he attempted a coup de tat and tried to kill me. I have severed all ties with Akatsuki and have brought my fiancé here to try and start over." Sakura nodded and looked him square in the eye.

"I want you to swear on everything you hold precious that it wasn't you that ordered my kidnapping, the murder of my parents, and my being hunted since I escaped." Pein took a deep breath.

"I swear on everything I hold precious that I had no knowledge of your kidnapping, I did not order the murder of your parents, and I would have kicked his ass had I known Hidan was off hunting a pregnant woman." Sakura sighed and nodded, regarding him.

"You do realize Sasori kidnapped me in L.A., right?" Pein's eyes widened and he cursed under his breath. He sighed and looked at her, deciding to be straightforward.

"Haruno-san, in all honesty, I had no knowledge of you at all. The first I'd heard your name was when it was mentioned that you were taken in the raid on one of our hideouts. I thought you were one of the companions, but I never ordered your retrieval. When I found out Sasori had retrieved you, I didn't really know what was going on. It was around that time that I heard the rumor that two government agents had turned up dead. Sasori swore it wasn't him. It was not long after that he was caught, tried, and convicted. I didn't involve myself because I knew that if he was convicted, he was guilty. It wasn't until an assassin that was sent by Sasori tried to kill me that I realized how far in the sand I'd buried my head. I realized I should have turned Akatsuki legitimate when Hana-chan asked me to, back when you were still there to keep her company." Sakura nodded, satisfied. She then looked at Konan, who smiled sweetly at her.

"I've missed you, Sakura-chan!" she said in a soft voice and hugged the girl as they giggled. Konan looked at Sakura and smiled sadly. "How's Itachi?" She noticed Pein's eyes and she sighed. "I'm sorry Pein-kun, but I couldn't allow Sakura to suffer because of Sasori. Itachi and I are the ones that helped her escape. Itachi's the one that's been in constant contact with Sakura-chan, ensuring that Hidan never caught up with her." Sakura snorted and gave her a dour look.

"_Almost _never caught up with me. He almost caught me a few times." Konan's eyes turned sad and Pein found himself wrapping his arms around her. Sakura smiled at the girl and put her hand on her head. "You did good, Hana-hime. I managed to keep away from him off and on for three years." Konan smiled and giggled.

"I'm glad you're alright. Itachi stopped corresponding with me when you came here. I was getting worried." Sakura smiled sadly and patted the larger female dog on the head.

"He's completely blind now. He can't call you because he doesn't know the number. I'll take you to see him though, if you want." Konan smiled happily and giggled, hugging Pein, who nodded as well.

Sakura then turned to Kankru, Ino and Kiba. She smiled and asked them to send Kit and Hidan down. Ino nodded, knowing Sakura was trying to get them out of there. When they were, Sakura turned her eyes on Miranda, Drake and Constantine. "I don't know how long I have before Kit and Hidan come down, but I want to know right now what happened between the three of you and Kit. I noticed she wasn't exactly happy to see the three of you." Miranda sighed and glared over her shoulder at her 'brothers'.

"She's one of Orochimaru's experiments. She's the only subject he actively pursued. He killedher family in order obtain her. We have no idea why, but we know he's amassing a small army to get her back. We were sent here not only to ensure your safety, but also to ascertain if she is a threat. If she is perceived as a threat, we are to neutralize her." Drake said calmly. Miranda growled at him and looked at Sakura.

"My oh so tactful brothers made some underhanded comments that offended her. She took offense, I stepped up to defend them, and things became tense. Kankuro stepped between us and I backed down. You remember what I told you earlier about him. I refuse to fight him…he's probably the only person safe from me." she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at both males over her shoulder. They had the grace to look away and she huffed. "I gave them a good chewing out in the car and now they understand they made a mistake. They will not bother the girl again." There was a snort as Kit walked in, Hidan right behind her.

"Hard to believe I was saved by Kankuro. Kinda creepy too. But sister, you have worked a miracle. According to Ino, he hasn't groped anyone and he hasn't made any lewd comments, so I commend you." Miranda turned red and growled, turning away from them.

"Great, I was right…he's a pervert. Dammit, why me…" she growled and sat in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Drake and Constantine shook their heads and looked at Sakura, their eyes serious.

"Sakura-chan, the first thing we want to know is-" he was cut off by Constantine, who pointed at her with his eyes narrowed and his face screwed up cutely.

"Why the hell you didn't tell us you had a kid!?" Sakura sighed and looked at her counter. She knew this was going to come up.

"You have to understand, I'd been on the run since I was sixteen years old. My initial abduction occurred right after my fifteenth birthday. It took seven months for my parents to find me. Not too long after I turned sixteen, Sasori found me and murdered my parents. He raped me, beat me, and left me for dead. I went on the run not long after that. When Tomi was born, I'd been running from Hidan for nine months already, and been caught by him for a few minutes several times. The fear I had of being caught…of trusting someone…" she shook her head and sighed. She felt Gaara wrap his arms around her and nuzzle her neck. She sighed and looked back up at them.

Both males nodded in understanding, but she continued. "After Tomi was born, things changed for me. I wasn't just running to protect myself. I was running to protect my son. I was certain that should Sasori ever find us, he'd kill Tomi. He hated anything that took my attention away from him. He wouldn't hesitate to kill his own child. Especially if it was competing with him for my attention." he noticed all three Agents stiffen and look at one another. Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"What are you not telling me?" she asked, her eyes dangerous. Drake sighed and pulled out a folder that he put on the counter in front of her. She opened it and saw a man and woman, both with glasses, and both walking into the prison Sasori was being held in.

"Those two were spotted going into the prison Sasori was being held at. They have been going around, 'collecting' people from mental wards, hospitals, and even prisons. Anyone that has displayed an unusual talent." Drake said, his eyes narrowed on the couple. Constantine took over then, putting two more files down. It was individual stats on each.

"The woman's name is Yagame Karin. She was one of Orochimaru's foster kids. However, he never experimented on her. She didn't display any promise apparently." he then pointed to the man, who was looking behind him. "That's Yakushi Kabuto. He's Orochimaru's right hand man. He's also Karin's lover. You don't see one very far from the other." he pulled out another file, this time taking a list out of it. "This is a list of people taken to Orochimaru…either by force or persuasion." Sakura looked over it and her eyes narrowed as one name stood out. She looked at the two, who nodded.

"That's right…Sasori was one of them." both men noticed the change that came over Gaara. He instantly disappeared and Sakura waited anxiously. When he reappeared, it was with a still sleeping Tomi is his arms. Sakura sighed and touched her son to reassure herself he was alright. She kissed him and then looked at her three friends, who actually looked curious…even the stoic Drake.

"So that's the little mini-Sakura, huh?" Constantine looked at the child, who shifted slightly and sneezed. Both males got goofy smiles on their faces and started whispering. Miranda just stared at them and shook her head.

"Let's not forget that that 'Mini-Sakura' is in danger as long as Sasori's alive." both males snapped to attention. There was something in their eyes Miranda had never seen…something that promised pain to anyone that tried to hurt Sakura's son. Miranda smirked. "I should have known your instincts would trigger at the sight of a child you consider part of the pack." she chuckled when both men blushed. Sakura arched a brow as Miranda walked over to her.

"Despite you having left the Agency, you never left our pack. You're still one of us and anyone that threatens you threatens the pack. You know what happens to those that threaten the pack." Sakura smirked and looked over at the two males.

"I tell you what…Kit came here to take care of him. It would go a long way in patching things up with her if you two helped her out, right Kit?" Sakura looked over at the girl, who shrugged and popped the tab on a green tea.

"Sure…so long as they don't start whispering again. That's just creepy." her eyes were deadpan and the two males scratched the backs of their heads.

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that. It's just that we've never been around many females like us other than Miranda. We didn't exactly know how to deal with you." Constantine said in a slightly embarrassed voice. Drake just stared at her.

"You really are her…the girl that can change her appearance just by thinking about it…" he seemed awed. Kit narrowed her eyes on him and then she chuckled. Suddenly, her soft spiky cap of black hair turned into riotous red hair. The long red section shrank and cropped close to her head. She looked exactly like the girl in their file.

"You mean this, huh? This is what I looked like after I started bouncing around foster homes…after I killed Orochimaru. Rat bastard managed to get to another body before I could get to Kabuto to stop it." She pointed at the guy with the glasses. "That guy right there…if you take him out, you can stop Orochimaru from living so damn long. He's the engineer, the medic, the mastermind." she stiffened and looked intently at the door for a second. The dogs were alert as well and staring at the door as well. Suddenly, there was a knock.

Sakura nodded her head towards it and Hidan nodded, understanding. He walked over to the door and opened it. He was surprised to see Sarutobi, who was panting and out of breath. "Sakura…need to…talk…to Sakura…" she panted and shut his eyes. Instantly, Sakura was by his side.

"What's wrong, Otoji?" she asked, somewhat frantic. He smiled at her and pointed out behind him. A small woman with pale silver hair and fuchsia eyes was staring at her in awe. Sakura gasped…she'd seen those eyes before. The small woman slowly and carefully made her way inside, her eyes still holding awe as she looked at Sakura. She bowed low and greeted her.

"Greeting, Sakura-sama. It is good to see you once more." Sakura arched a brow and looked at the woman, who still had not lifted her head.

"Hello to you too. You know me, but I can't seem to recall you…" she said, covering her mouth in slight embarrassment. The woman smiled as she looked up.

"Perhaps that is for the best. Forgive my rudeness. I am Kaguya Yamineska, firstborn of the Maetera." Sakura arched a brow. That term was somewhat familiar to her. Sakura scratched her head and looked at her.

"I know you from somewhere, but I have never seen you before…how is that possible?" the woman smiled and pulled a small glass globe from her sleeve. She handed it to Sakura, who looked at it. Inside was a perfect cherry blossom, forever immortalized in the hard sphere.

"Your former incarnation was a powerful healer. She was the spiritual leader of a village I stumbled across when the Curse of Maetera struck me. It was your former self that saved my life." Sakura's eyes widened and images flashed behind her eyes. A tall, wolf-like creature stumbling into her hut, it haphazardly attacking her, subduing it, pitying it, healing it, and handing the creature the globe with the cherry blossom inside. The creature took off as her villagers came to her, angry she'd healed a 'monster'. They'd tied her to a pole and burned her at the stake.

She looked up at the woman and she nodded. "So you remember. Good. I apologize for your previous followers burning you at the stake because you helped me. It was not my intention." she said sadly. Sakura smiled and put her hand on the girl, who gasped and looked up at her. She smiled more and handed the globe back to her.

"Life is precious, no matter who it belongs to." Tears welled in those fuchsia eyes and she nodded, smiling.

"Hai…that's the same thing you told me the night I left. Thank you." she then looked at Sarutobi, who nodded at her. "I'm afraid I am in need of your help once more." Sakura arched a brow and looked at her, and then at Gaara, who had Tomi in his arms. He nodded and they all walked into the living room to figure out what was going on.

* * *

Miranda watched this female closely. There was something about her that didn't sit well with her and from what she could see, neither Drake nor Constantine was comfortable around her either. Kit seemed disturbed as well. Even Sakura seemed somewhat squirmy around the female. Miranda listened to what the female told them very carefully.

"Four hundred years ago, I came across a young scientist. He was a promising young man in the medical field. He'd cured several things most doctors could not figure out. I approached him about examining my younger brother, Kimimaro." she looked at Sakura and then back at her hands. Miranda knew that whatever she was about to say would be monumental. "His name…was Orochimaru…" Miranda gasped, shocked even though she'd been preparing for it. Orochimaru was over four hundred years old? How? She watched the girl shift uncomfortably.

"In exchange for Orochimaru finding a cure for my ototo's illness, I taught him how to prolong his life. Kimimaro is the only family I have left…I would do anything to save him." Miranda just stared at the girl, unable to believe her ears. This small, seemingly harmless girl had taught Orochimaru how to prolong his life? It was then that Constantine shot to his feet, his eyes black.

"It's YOUR fault we're like this! You're the reason he lived to do things like this to us!" Instantly Drake had the young male in a crushing hold, his eyes bleeding red. He shook his head and tried to control the younger male. The girl's fuchsia eyes started glowing and she stood, walking over to them.

"You have suffered needlessly, young one. I will take away your pain." she reached out and touched him. Instantly he screamed and crumpled in Drake's arms. Drake's eyes blazed crimson as she reached out to him and he, too, crumpled. She soothed them with a gentle voice and then helped them stand. "I am sorry for what he has done to you, and countless others." she turned sad eyes to Sakura.

"I would like to correct the mistake I made back then. It has been four hundred years and he has yet to cure my ototo. He is using our DNA to mutate humans with special gifts, as you already seem to know. If they are not brought to me to finish their conversion, they will suffer immense pain, and eventually die. Some convert not long after they are exposed, but they are prone to insanity. I must stabilize them." Miranda was crouching by her brothers when she looked up at the girl who called herself Yamineska.

"You mean that all those kids he experimented on suffer this kind of thing? It's not just certain ones?" Yamineska sighed and sat down once more. Miranda helped her two brothers to the couch, where they leaned against one another.

"Not all of the humans infected by Kimimaro or my DNA suffer like this. Some die before they are even awakened as Maetera. Some, like Yoko, become slaves because their DNA has been tampered with. 'Submissives' as they are called, live relatively miserable lives. They are prey to anyone with a will stronger than their own. It is why I am adamant about finding them and releasing the gene suppressing their freewill." Yamineska looked at Kit, who stiffened at the attention.

"You are special among the converts, little one. You alone have converted fully on your own. Your will calls to the submissives. They can track you by your will alone. If Orochimaru ever discovers this, you will be in great danger. Yoko told me of you. She knows much about you, and not just because she is a submissive. There is a spy that has followed you all very closely and you have not detected it. I doubt even the spy realizes what's going on. However, I can eliminate the spy if you will allow me to. You must not interfere if you wish to remain undetectable." Miranda looked at Sakura, who looked at Gaara and Tomi. Her eyes became cold and Miranda could see she was going to agree to keep Tomi safe.

Yamineska took a deep breath and started singing. It was a haunting sound and suddenly something came tumbling down the stairs. In a zombie-like trance, a figure walked over to them. Miranda saw Kit's eyes widen as the figure turned out to be Hidan. He walked over to Yamineska, who stood and moved behind him. She touched him on the back of the head and he let our a roar, crumbling to the ground, much like her brothers had. Kit ran to his side and glared up at Yamineska.

"What did you do to him!" she screamed and rolled him over so that she could see his face. His eyes were moving rapidly under his lids, but he didn't wake. The small woman put her hand over his face.

"I am drawing out the spy. This is one of Orochimaru's favorite techniques. He used Sasori to imbed this spy before ever inviting Sasori to join him. This is how Sasori mind controls…these 'shades'." she grunted as a ball of black smoke was pulled out of Hidan. The ball glared at her with malevolent red eyes.

_"Traitor."_ came a scratchy, evil voice. Yamineska glared at it coldly.

"I was betrayed long before you were even created, monster. Enjoy the underworld." electricity filled her hand and the creature screamed and then dissipated into nothingness. Yamineska stood and looked down at Hidan, who opened his eyes and stared up at them.

"Uh…how did I get down here?" he looked confused and then he saw tears in Kit's eyes. He growled and rolled to his side. His hands were still wet from where he'd been washing them in the bathroom. Kit smiled and hugged him. Konan joined them on the floor to check on her brother. Miranda sighed and watched the girl as she sat back down and watched with sad eyes. She must be thinking about her own brother.

* * *

Sasori was standing outside the room Orochimaru had told him that he was in most the time. Sasori pounded on the door, but he'd yet to get an answer. Sudden giggling caught his attention. He turned and found the man and woman that had broken him out of jail. His eye twitched…were they always together? The man walked up to the door and pressed a button.

"Orochimaru-sama, Sasori-san is here to see you." the snake man appeared on the screen, his face in the typical smirk.

"Ah, I'll be right there." Sasori arched a brow at the screen and looked at the man, who shrugged.

"He likes his quiet." was all the guy said before turning away, his arm around the woman's waist. She had on an off the shoulders, long sleeve white top and a short white miniskirt. She had black high heels and smelled like apples. Sasori's eyes dilated as he watched her leave. The sound of the door unlocking had him glaring at said door. When it opened, Orochimaru was standing there.

"Good evening, Sasori-san. Is there something I can help you with?" he asked in his deceptively soft voice. Sasori glared angrily at him.

"Yoko wont obey me." he stated evenly. Orochiamru arched a brow at him and looked down the hall.

"Did you make sure to make it a command?" he asked, intrigued. Sasori glared at him.

"I ordered her to come to me twice. She never came. I found her cuddled up to some guy under a metal shield." He noticed the instant change in Orochimaru.

"Ah…that explains it. It's not that she's not obeying you…it's that she can't." Sasori looked very irritated at that moment.

"Well why the hell not? I need a good fuck and I like her the best." he put his arms over his chest and glared. Orochimaru frowned at the crass way the red head talked.

"It's because, in terms of genetics, he has more power over her. I created her from his sister's DNA. It's only natural that she would be bound to obey him over everyone else. If he has called for her services, then you must find yourself a new toy. Even I can not get into the room Yamineska keeps her brother in." Sasori could tell this irritated the scientist to now end. Sasori ground his teeth and turned to go back to his room.

"Whatever…send me a girl with short black hair and green eyes." he said in a low growl. Orochimaru said nothing until the red head was far enough down the hall that he wouldn't hear the hiss.

"When I'm no longer in need of you, Akasuna, I will take much pleasure in killing you…" with that, the snake went back into his room. He smiled at the young submissive male on his bed and went back to enjoying himself. "Now…where were we?" he watched the young male cringe slightly and he laughed. He'd enjoy this one.

* * *

Kimimaro was sleeping peacefully when he felt the young woman by his side suddenly jump. He opened one eye and looked over to see her crying lightly. Her eyes were closed and she was still asleep, but her sobs caused her to jump a few times. Kimimaro felt sorry for her, so he wrapped her up in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and held her until her sobbing stopped and she fell into an even deeper sleep.

He had just closed his eyes when he felt his sister's presence. "Yamineska…how long will you allow those created from our DNA to suffer at the hands of that man. It's not right…" he opened his eyes when she said nothing. When he saw her, it was to see her smiling. He pushed the shield away and looked at her. "Yamineska?" she looked up at him and he saw tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. He arched a brow.

"I have found you a cure, Ototo. I have found the woman that can cure you. We no longer have to be here. Orochimaru's marks will wear off by the next full moon. He will have to renew it through me. But I will not allow it. We are gathering our kind and we are leaving. We will find our own place in this world." Kimimaro smiled and hugged his sister to him.

"That's wonderful Nee-san! Let's get going, the faster we get going to less our kind have to suffer!" he urged her. She nodded and watched as Kimimaro went over and woke Yoko up. Prolonged contact with the girl seemed to have eased his symptoms. Yamineska stood in the middle of the room and closed her eyes. She sent out a mental call to all the Maetera in the building and in the surround ten mile radius.

Everywhere, there were people responding to her call. All the workers in Orochimaru's hideout lifted their heads, their eyes flashing white before they dropped what they were doing and answered her call. Several people that were in the woods, hiding, their eyes flashed and they ran to her. The people in the lab, where Kabuto and Karin were currently making out, their eyes flashed and they lifted their heads. Tubes were burst, cages broken, and cell bars were bent as they all made their way to their mistress.

The young boy Orochimaru was sexually abusing jolted Orochimaru off him, his eyes glowing. He got up, dressed, and walked out the door after knocking the heavy metal door off it's hinges. The girl Sasori was currently raping in his room suddenly threw him off her, her eyes glowing, and leapt from his bed to the door on the other side of the room. She hissed at him and raced towards the beacon calling to her.

Orochimaru and Sasori met in the hall on their way to find out what was going on. They were met by an awestruck Kabuto and Karin, who were standing at what used to be Yamineska's private area. Now, it was nothing but a blown out room. The walls had crumbled under the pressure of the small woman's power. She was floating, her arms out, and her fuchsia eyes glowing. When she saw the four of them, she bared her fangs at them.

**"Pathetic human…you have broken your promise for four hundred years. You've made more excuses than progress. I have found a cure for my brother. I have no use for you anymore. I am taking those you have infected with Maetera DNA and taking them far away from here. You will never find us again." **she noticed the panic on Orochimaru's face as he ran towards her.

"I can find a cure, you just have to give me time!" Yamineska narrowed her eyes on him. He was lying…he just didn't want to lose their DNA. Especially after she'd wiped out his lab.

**"SILENCE! I grow weary of your empty promises human. I am tired of your lies."** She then turned her attention to Sasori, who was glaring up at her with insanity. Her eyes narrowed on him.

**"As for you, Akasuna no Sasori…I will show you what true pain is."** she held up her hand and suddenly he went to his knees. It felt like his insides were burning. He dropped down and looked up to see the glowing eyes of many of the people he'd seen throughout the hideout. They were glaring at him with hatred.

In an effort to save himself, he tried to get to his feet. He stumbled and knocked into the wall. He felt searing pain run from his stomach down and he raced away from her. However, the damage was already done.


	22. Withdrawl

**A/N: Okay, so apparently I had this converted and forgot about it...well, I'll post it now so I don't forget again. Oh, and be careful, there's a LEMON IN THIS CHAPTER! That is all. Also, don't own Naruto, just my stories.  
**

* * *

Chapter 22: Withdrawal

Orochimaru just gaped as Yamineska glared at them and then, just as suddenly as they'd appeared to him five centruies ago, they were gone. Every last one of them were gone. He sank to his knees and stared. His suppliers were gone, his labs were destroyed, and his plans were falling through. He heard loud cursing and turned to see Sasori lying in the hallway a few feet away. He was cursing Yamineska.

Standing, Orochimaru walked over to Sasori and looked at him. The younger man was shaking badly, his arms covering his abdomen and…lower. Orochimaru cocked his head to the side and knelt down, examining the young man. Sasori cursed at him, telling him to go away, but Orochimaru didn't. He looked at Sasori closely and found the root of everything. It was a black mark, right below his navel, in the shape of a cherry blossom petal. Orochimaru gasped and scrambled away from the red head.

"It's just like the day she came here." he said and looked up at Kabuto, who seemed to understand. Karin, did not.

"What do you mean? What's wrong with him? Is it contagious?" Kabuto shook his head and pointed at Sasori.

"I once heard Yamineska say that all of her kind were afflicted with what's known as the Curse of Maetera. Legend has it that a giant wolf named Maetera caught the eye of a certain man. This man was a primal god in the form of a human man. He had a lover, her name was Kaijuuhime. She was once known as the most beautiful woman in the Empire. Mind you, this was long before the formation of the current Empire. The Empire I speak of, was when the tree nations were still one." Karin's eyes got large and she looked at Sasori again, who was writhing in pain.

"The man seduced Maetera and impregnated her. When Kaijuuhime found out, she cursed Maetera and any children that came from their union. The children would turn into horrible monsters when they hit puberty and they would experience excruciating pain. The curse, which became known as the Curse of Maetera, is much more horrific than it sounds. Not only is there the pain, but as long as the curse is active, the afflicted is sterile." Sasori bolted up, hissing in pain, and stared.

"You mean I'm sterile right now!?" he demanded, his blood red eyes glaring. Kabuto nodded, actually feeling sorry for the man.

"Yes. Yamineska has cursed you with the same curse as her kind, but without the transformation, as you are past puberty." he saw the look on Orochimaru's face and cringed. He had to break bad news to his boss. "Unfortunately, though you have the curse, you have none of the advantages to being a maetera. You can't transform, you don't have any of the animal-like qualities, and you don't have the tracking abilities. This is because you don't have the DNA of a maetera." he saw anger flare in Orochimaru's eyes.

He felt Karin tugging at his arm and he looked at her. There was something in her eyes so he leaned down and let her ask. "So his…functionality…is gone as well, right?" he knew what she was asking and nodded. He saw relief flood her eyes and she pressed against him. He'd known that, despite her bravado, his threat to rape her had always been in the back of _both _their minds. He'd even told Orochimaru that if Sasori raped Karin, that he would take Karin and they would disappear, never to be seen again.

He decided to get back at the man for the way the red head had treated Karin. "Not only is your productivity cut off, but your functionality as well. Because of the nature of this curse, and the malevolence with which it was initially generated, both in ancient times and just now by Yamineska, I would hazard to guess that it's pretty much like being magically castrated." He noticed Sasori's eyes widen, but then he hissed and gripped him abdomen.

"How…" he panted and shut both eyes, pushing back the pain. "How has…Kimimaro…lasted so long?" he asked and put his head on the floor. Orochimaru was seen taking something from his robe pocket and showing it to him.

"I managed to stabilize the pain with this, though after a while the curse settled into a different stage." Sasori looked up at the small glass container and then at the scientist.

"D-different…stage?" he hissed, biting his lip violently to stave off the pain. Orochimaru nodded and motioned to Kabuto, who went back to talking.

"Legend has it that if the Curse of Maetera isn't lifted by the time of the victim's sexual peak, the Curse sets in as a sort of disease that slowly kills the body. There is no known cure for it, though Yamineska somehow beat it. She never revealed how it was she managed to survive the curse when so many of her kind did not. Interestingly enough, when Yamineska converts the half breeds to full, the curse is lifted." Orochimaru took a needle out and drew the sickly green fluid into the syringe. He stuck it in the black mark and Sasori screamed in pain.

Orochimaru stood and nodded. "You seem to have an accelerated form of the curse. If you don't find out how to cure yourself soon, you'll die. I'd give you 6, 8 months at the most." he said and walked over to one of the many trashcans that lined the laboratory area. Orochimaru sighed and shook his head. "We're going to have to retreat to the underground lab out in Oto Forest. It's not safe here now…not with Yamineska knowing where to find us. Gather everything you can that remains of the research. We find that girl that killed me, and we can renew our research." He watched Kabuto nod and then as the young couple walked away. He looked down at Sasori, who was trembling slightly as the drugs took affect.

"I would suggest you play nice with Kabuto from now on. He's the only one besides myself that can help you, but if you target his woman, he will just as likely poison you as help you." Sasori panted as he glared at Orochimaru, who stood and walked away. He laid there, on the floor, for a few minutes. He had 6 months to find Sakura…but what then? It's not like he could get her pregnant with a reminder of him. He hissed and curled up into a little ball, cursing Yamineska once more.

* * *

Sakura was standing in her kitchen when suddenly her house was full of people. They all looked straight at her and her instincts made her growl low in her throat. A small hand on her shoulder made her look down into the fuchsia eyes of Yamineska. The smaller woman smiled.

"I am sorry, Sakura-sama, but I do not know where to take them right now. I could not just leave them there at the mercy of Orochimaru." She said this quietly and Sakura looked up at the young women and men who congregated together, staring around them with fear. Sakura smiled and nodded.

"It's fine. I think I can manage to fix enough food for them all. We can talk to Drake and Constantine and see if the Agency can find a safe area for you all. I think if we tell them you are more program kids they will help you. But you can never tell them the truth Yamineska. Don't trust humans to 'help' your kind. It will only get you killed." Yamineska smiled at Sakura, knowing the girl was trying to make sure they were safe. She nodded and stepped aside so that Sakura could see her brother, Kimimaro.

"This is my ototo, Kimimaro." she said gently as she ushered her brother forward and to a seat. The young female named Yoko kept her arms around him at all times. Right now, they were wrapped loosely around his neck. Sakura arched a brow and the girl blushed.

"Yoko is sorry, Healer-sama, but she can not leave the young master until the mistress says it is alright." Sakura stiffened and looked at Yamineska, who looked sad.

"She was once a submissive. Though she is no longer genetically compelled to do as she is told, she is too frightened not to. She will need time." Sakura nodded and smiled at the girl. She reached out and touch the girl where the two red marks were on her forehead. White light glowed softly and then Yoko looked at Sakura in awe.

"You are the one that he searches for…the one he calls out to when he-" she blushed and turned away, tears in her eyes. Sakura arched a brow, confused, until Kimimaro pulled the girl into his lap and comforted her.

"She was that man's toy…the one that looked at Onee-san funny. The man with red hair and eyes…the one that smells like evil and cruelty." Kimimaro's fangs bared as he talked about the man and Sakura paled at the mention of him.

She stepped back and she put her hand to her mouth. "He…he hurt you?" she asked gently as she went to her knees in front of the young woman. The girl sobbed and buried her face in Kimimaro's shoulder. Sakura could feel tears trailing down her face and she reached up and took the girl's hands. Sakura pushed heat and comfort into the girl, pushed her memories of what Sasori had done to her, when he'd killed her parents, raped her, when she'd given birth to Tomi…everything.

The girl looked up, her eyes full of wonder. "You are so strong, Healer-sama. Yoko wishes she was that strong." Sakura smiled and wiped the girl's tears.

"Yoko is that strong. She has kept the young master from feeling pain. She has saved his life." Sakura said and took Yoko's hand in hers and put it over the black mark that was in the shape of a wolf's head on Kimimaro's chest. She chanted something and felt her and Yoko's energies merge and heal Kimimaro. Kimimaro gasped and arched, holding Yoko to him tightly. The girl ran her other hand over his face and told him it would be alright. Sakura removed her hand, but kept chanting as Yoko pulled the curse from the young Maeteran male.

When it was done, Sakura stopped chanting and touched Yoko's shoulder. "You did it Yoko. You healed him." she said lightly. Yoko blushed and looked down to see only her hand over the spot where the curse had once resided. She looked up at Sakura with wide, shocked eyes.

"Me? I…I healed him?" Sakura smiled and nodded.

"I started off helping you, but your power was enough to cure him. I would like to pass down the secrets of this ancient healing form to you, Yoko. Once you and the other Maetera are gone from here, I will never again use it. Use this knowledge to help your kind…our kind." she smiled at Yoko, who gave a shy smile and nodded.

"Yo-I mean, I would like that…nee-chan." Sakura smiled and turned to Yamineska.

"I will use every contact my parents ever made to ensure you have a safe place for our people. As a Maeteran convert, you are still my Mistress. I, however, have obligations here, to my family…to my son, and to my lover." Yamineska nodded and bowed to her.

"As you wish, Sakura-sama. Just know that should you ever find yourself in need of me, I will only be a call away." she said, and then handed Sakura a small object. It was a wolf. "There is a hole in the tail of the wolf. Blow through it and I will hear it's call." Sakura nodded and thanked her. She turned and noticed all the people once more. She smiled.

"Good thing this place has a big basement." She laughed and turned back to her counter, preparing a meal.

* * *

Gaara was upstairs in Sakura's bedroom, which would also be his bedroom from now on, and rocked Tomi. The little boy had woken up crying. When asked what was wrong, he said he had a nightmare about a scary man with red hair that wasn't his daddy. Which Sakura had taken to mean that it was Sasori, not Gaara. She'd told him that his daddy would never let anyone hurt him and Tomi had settled down and gone back to sleep.

Sakura had asked him to stay with Tomi while she cooked. The others had either gone home, as was the case with Ino and Kiba, or had taken up a room upstairs. Which he could currently hear two males speaking rather loudly and a female murmuring, with the occasional yelp of a third male. They'd pulled out all the spare beds, sheets, blankets, pillows…everything.

Even still, they'd been relegated to sleeping two per bed. Meaning that someone was going to end up in bed with another guy. Gaara arched a brow as he remembered the interactions between the two males with Miranda, his brother's new love interest. Kankuro had once been obsessed with Ino, until he'd been brought back from the states by Miranda. Those two men didn't seem like they'd object sleeping together overly much. He shivered at the thought and just kept rocking. He felt a burst of power and stilled. It was coming from downstairs. He waited about thirty, forty-five minutes before laying Tomi on Sakura's bed and covering him up and then going down to see what was going on. His eyes widened when he saw a lot of people in Sakura's downstairs. There were so many, he hardly had room to get through them and into the kitchen.

He did, however, hear her gentle voice say "It's alright, I have a large basement. They should all be able to find somewhere comfortable down there until I can help you find a safe place for them." he walked into the kitchen to see Yamineska, a male with teal eyes, and a young woman with short black hair and eyes a shade lighter than Sakura's. He walked over to Sakura and wrapped his arms around her before speaking in a gentle tone.

"Tomi's sleeping upstairs. Do you need anything, love?" he could feel her body heat up and saw red creep up the back of her neck. He kissed the back of her neck and then nuzzled her. He could feel her breathlessness.

"Well, if you have any extra blankets in that stuff you brought over…" she trailed off as he kissed her neck again and then disappeared. A few moments later, he was back, several large boxes at his feet.

"That's all the spare blankets, sheets, pillows, etc. that we have in the apartment and the old family home. I refuse to go back to look anymore in the apartment…I don't like hearing my sister scream one of my best friends' names…" he was lightly blushing, even though he was glaring at the floor. Sakura kissed him on the cheek and whispered to him, making him blush. He gave her an appraising look and then nodded. "Very well. Kaguya-san, follow me. Bring the others with you. Sakura-chan is going to cook and then bring it down to you all. She is worried about some of those that follow you. She says some look sick." Yamineska nodded and her eyes flashed. Everyone around started moving towards her and they all followed Gaara into the basement.

* * *

Miranda pinched Kankuro's hand once more and watched the male pout with her. She'd told him that he needed to keep his hands to himself and he just refused to keep his hands off her. She growled and turned back to her brothers, who were caught between laughing their asses off and wanting to pound Kankuro into the floor.

"Like I was saying, tomorrow, when things quiet down a little, we need to start canvassing the area for signs of Orochimaru and his 'collection'. They can't be too far outside the city. Most likely they're on the edge of town, close to the woods. I did manage to talk to Kit and learn that the house she'd lived in with Orochimaru was different from the one we escaped from, so he's moved several times since we escaped him." she felt Kankuro's hand on her side and was about to turn and pummel him, but she felt it tighten and she looked over at him, concerned.

His eyes were wide, he was sweaty, and his teeth were clenched. "There's…something inside…trying to…" he then passed out on the bed, his head in Miranda's lap. Miranda's eyes opened wide and she did the one thing she'd never done before…she screamed.

As she screamed, tears were coming to her eyes and she was trying to wake him up. She noticed her brother's reactions to this as she looked up at them, her eyes begging them to help Kankuro. Neither male knew what to do, so they raced out the door and started yelling for Sakura. Miranda touched him and could feel him burning up. She also heard the frightened cries of a little boy, but she was too concerned with Kankuro. She heard Drake shushing the child as Sakura and Yamineska raced in.

It was Yamineska that knew what was happening. "It's the puppet master…he's calling his puppets to him. It seems he understands the extent of the curse I put on him." her voice was cold as she reached out and touched Kankuro's forehead. Two red dots appeared and his body went pliant. Yamineska sighed and then reached up and touched Miranda. The same marks appeared on her.

"I have tied him to you. Should the puppet master ever try to seize control of him again, you will be able to override it. You are the dominant and he the submissive. However, this comes at a great price. You will have to stay close to one another for the remainder of your lives. Separation will mean death for both of you." Miranda's eyes widened and she looked down at Kankuro. She pulled him close to her and nuzzled him.

"Thank you, Yamineska-san. Thank you for saving him." the fuchsia eyed girl arched a brow.

"I did not save him. You did. It is because your will to save him and keep him here is greater than the call of the puppet master. Because you are willing to kill for this man, or die for him should the need arise, you have saved his life." the young woman said and then walked out. Sakura looked at the surprised Miranda and smiled.

"Guess that's what you've been feeling lately about him. You've found your mate, Miranda." Sakura stood and walked out of the room meeting Drake half way and taking her crying son. Drake and Constantine walked back in and noticed the marks.

"What's going on? Miranda, what are those?" Constantine asked. Miranda sighed and went about explaining them.

"Sasori was trying to recall Kankuro to his services. Yamineska tied our wills and our life forces together to save Kankuro's life. He was fighting the call, and it would have killed him." she said quietly as she stroked his hair. She growled when she felt their auras change. "If you lay one hand on him, I will eat both of you." she threatened and looked up at their surprised faces. "Yamineska was only able to tie us together because we are mates. Mates are pack, and what's mine is mine. I will protect it with my life." she noticed them shut their eyes and sit back down on the bed across from her.

She shifted back onto the bed and pulled Kankuro to her, curling up around him. "She said that I would be the one to keep him from Sasori's grasp. My will is stronger…" she murmured and then fell asleep. Both men were surprised. Miranda never fell asleep in strange places. Perhaps this male was good for her after all.

* * *

Kit was sitting on the bed with Hidan staring out the window. She'd told him what was going on and he'd been tightlipped ever since. Deciding that she'd had enough, she stared at the door until it closed and locked, drawing Hidan's attention. He stared, slightly confused, until he heard her growling. He turned and found her crawling on the bed towards him. He gulped and tried to play it cool.

"Kit…what are you doing?" he asked, but there was a tremor to his voice. She gave him a fanged smile and pushed up to her knees right in front of him. She grabbed the lapels of his button up and pulled him to her so that they were pressed tightly together.

"I'm getting your mind off things." she purred and then pulled his face down to hers, kissing him excitedly. He groaned and tried to break away to tell her this was a bad idea, but she growled and pulled him, hard, and he landed on top of her as she threw herself back towards the head of the bed. He pushed up so that he wasn't crushing her, but she wrapped her arms around his back and nearly crushed him against her. She became more desperate in her kiss and he finally gave in and started kissing her back just as enthusiastically as she'd kissed him.

He heard her moan and he nearly lost it. Suddenly, he heard a zip and he froze. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt her hand on him, skin to skin. He hissed and bit his lip. "K-kit…we can't do that right-" whatever he'd been about to say was lost as he collapsed on top of her, his member surrounded by her heat. He could feel her tight clasp taking him in greedily, could feel the mesh of her clothing against his stomach as she pushed his shirt up just enough to see him as she pushed him into her, using her legs to hold him. He heard her purr.

"Who's going to stop us?" she panted and snaked her arms up the back of his shirt and started raking her nails down his back. He hissed and thrust against her, making her moan softly into his ear. She licked the shell of his ear and laughed breathlessly. "You're the only man I've ever taken an interest in, Hidan. You're the only man I've ever let touch me like this, here, where our bodies meet…" she gave a gasp as he thrust a little harder, her words arousing him. She pulled her knees up so that they were on either side of his hips and she smacked his ass. He hissed and glared at her.

"What the fuck was that for?" he growled at her, only to hiss again when she smacked his ass again. She started moaning when he started thrusting into her, retaliation for smacking his ass. He watched her bite her lip and her eyes flutter with pleasure. He groaned and started thrusting faster, unable to deny his body any longer. Instead, he rested his head against her shoulder and started thrusting into her in quick, deep jabs.

He heard her gasping, moaning, and hissing in pleasure. Having not had a woman in so long, he was almost desperate now. He gripped the sheets tightly, not wanting to bruise her skin in his eagerness. He kept pumping as sweat started covering his body. He threw his shirt off and then went back to his pleasure. He could feel her muscles fluttering and her spine stiffening…all signs she was close.

With a few more deep thrusts, he felt her muffle her scream in his shoulder and scrape his back so hard he knew he'd have giant red welts tomorrow. He felt her gasping against his shoulder as he frantically thrust into her, seeking his own relief. With a wicked smirk, he reached down and popped her on the ass, just hard enough to make her muscles flutter again in renewed pleasure. As she arched against him again, her second orgasm rolling over her, he found his pleasure.

With a muffled groan, he felt the tension leave his body as he filled hers with his warmth. He sighed in exhaustion and started to pull out when she stopped him. He looked at her and found she was half asleep now. He noticed the pleading look and nodded. He rolled onto his back and pulled the covers over them. He turned just slightly, so that his back was to the other bed in the room, hiding what they'd just done.

* * *

A small jingle resounded through the hospital room. A tired man with odd eyes answered quietly. "Hello?" he bolted upright when he heard the voice on the other side. "Sakura! Thank Kami-sama! Are you alright? Is Tomi alright? Amida's been frantic!" he heard her say a few things on the other end and he stiffened. "You're sure? He's really here?" he sighed and wiped his face with his hand.

"Yeah…okay. I'll stop by with Amida tomorrow. Yeah, I know. We need to find somewhere safe for the boys first though." she said something and his heart stopped. "He…he's doing…alright?" he was curious and worried at the same time. It was then that he looked up at the empty bed his wife had once been resting in. Tears came to his eyes. "Sakura…my wife…she…she didn't make it. Amida's been really upset and he's been begging me to take him to see Tomi. You think it would be alright if-" he smiled at the croon coming from the other side.

"Right. I'll be by first thing tomorrow morning. Yes…I think seeing me again will definitely be a shock for them. Alright. See you then." he hung up the phone and looked at his son, who was sleeping in the chair by the empty bed. The small boy had taken it hard when his mother had died, but he'd told his father that he was glad she didn't have to hurt anymore. Kisame had been awed by the child's understanding.

He walked over and picked his son up. "We're going to see an old friend…I think you'll like him. He looks just like your mom." Kisame said gently and kissed his son's head. He then looked at the bed once more before walking out. It would be the first time since his 'death' that he'd get to see him…Itachi.


	23. Christmas

**A/N: Alright, I confess, I'm a complete and utter retard. I forgot that I'd finished this chapter and chapter 24 and converted them one night when my internet went out and I ended up not being able to post them. I completely forgot about them until I accidentally saved one of my school papers into the same folder because...i'm a retard. Well, hope you enjoy these because it'll be a while before I get a chance to update again. Again, sorry about being retarded and forgetting about these. JA!**

* * *

Chapter 23: Christmas

Itachi heard the chime at his door and called for his dog. "Brandy!" suddenly, he felt her muzzle under his hand, leading him to the door. He pushed a button and the screen by his door blinked on. He heard Brandy whine slightly and narrowed his eyes. She only did that when someone she didn't know was at the door. "Who's there?" he heard a gasp and then whispering. It was then that he heard a familiar, yet foreign, voice.

"A-aniki?" his eyes widened and he put his hands on the door and threw it open, his sightless black eyes staring out as he threw open the outer door and stuck out his hands.

"S-sasuke!?" there were tears in his voice as he searched for the boy with his hands. Suddenly, his hands came across his younger brother's face and he gasped, tears falling from his blank black eyes. "It…it really is you…" he balled his fists in the material of his heavy jacket and pulled the boy to him. "I thought my mind was playing tricks on me again when I heard your voice! I can't believe it…you're really here!" he held his brother to him, who seemed at a loss for words. Itachi heard several people clear their throats and he turned his blind eyes to the noise. "Sasuke…" he then heard an all too familiar laugh and he relaxed.

"You scared the daylights out of me Sakura!" he growled at her, but was smiling. "Come in, please! It's freezing here!" he said gently and pulled his younger brother in, the others following. When he heard the door shut, he assumed they were all inside. "Sakura, how many people did you bring with you besides my brother?" suddenly, everything went quiet. He felt a small hand on his and he instantly went to his knees, knowing it was a child.

"You…look just like my mommy…" came a teary eyed voice. Itachi's eyes softened, even though he couldn't see the child.

"Where is your mommy now, little one?" He heard the little boy sniffle and understood. The boy's mother was dead and his appearance reminded the child of her. "Oh, little one. I'm sorry." he hugged the boy, who wrapped his arms around Itachi and cried. It was then that a voice he thought he'd never hear again met his ears.

"You haven't changed a bit…Itachi." he looked up from the child, his ears aching at the sound of that sweet voice he'd missed so much.

"K-Kis…ame?" he asked and held his hand out. One hand remained on the child as he tried to find the man he'd been in love with for so long. A chuckle met his ears and then a hand took his.

"Yes, Itachi…it's me." that same soft voice was music to his ears and without thinking twice, he threw himself into the man's arms and wept.

"I was so scared for you! I thought they'd find you and kill you! I knew Sasori hated you and I knew he wanted any reason at all to kill you and Leader-sama was always so caught up in his work…" He felt the larger man's arms tighten around him and he sighed happily.

"It's been a long time, Itachi!" came the light voice of Hidan's little sister, Konan. Itachi stiffened and gripped Kisame tightly, who leaned down and whispered to him.

"It's alright. Pein, Hidan, Konan, Tobi, and Zet are the only ones here…the others are dead or going to be very soon." Itachi arched a brow.

"Zet? Who is Zet?" It was then that a chuckle and a boisterous greeting met his ears.

"I am he who was previously Zetsu, though I am the half of Zetsu that was loyal to Pein-sama. I am also the half of that schizophrenic mess that likes men. Tobi is my lover, so you are safe." Itachi arched a brow and rested his head on Kisame's shoulder, not sure what to do. Suddenly, a small weight was in his lap and he felt a small hand grip his shirt.

"Can I sit here with you and my dad?" the small voice had Itachi smiling.

"Of course little one. You can stay here, in my lap, as long as you wish." he felt the little boy settle down and then looked back up. "I take it that Pein-sama is here as well?" there was a grunt and he looked down. "I must apologize for the lies, but I could not condone what Sasori was doing, nor would I allow my partner to suffer." his voice was gentle. It was an equally soft voice that answered him.

"Akatsuki is no more, my friend. Sasori crossed a line that should never have even been visible. We will find our own way here, now." Itachi nodded and was suddenly pounced on by a small female.

"NIISAN!" she giggled and he smiled. The little boy in his lap giggled and started playing with the girl, calling her Sakura-obasan. Itachi smiled and touched her face.

"I have missed you, little bird. Where is this man of yours you were telling me about?" he felt her blush and then she got up. He heard something, another small voice, and then there was a hand in his, gripping it firmly.

"You are the one that saved Sakura-chan, are you not?" Itachi was slightly surprised by the gruff voice of this man Sakura said she loved. He smiled gently and nodded.

"Yes, I am the one that helped her escape that night. I am also the one that made sure Hidan didn't catch her." he said mischievously and heard a grunt. Well, Hidan was definitely here.

"Then I am in your debt. I love Sakura-chan very much and you brought her to me. I thank you for that." Itachi smiled and let go of the hand. Suddenly, he reached out.

"Where is my ototo?" he felt a hand on his shoulder and smiled as his brother sat down. It was then that he heard his brother speak.

"Sakura-san told me what happened. I'm sorry aniki. I would have helped you carry that burden had you just confided in me." he said in a light voice. Itachi closed his eyes and smiled.

"I wanted you to have the childhood I was robbed of, Sasuke. I did everything I could think of to make sure you got it. Even if it meant you hating me." he smiled up at his younger brother and then stroked the hair of the boy who was falling asleep in his lap.

It was then that Sakura laughed and sat another small boy in his arms. "This is Tomi. He's my son." she didn't get to finish as Gaara growled 'ours' and Sakura shook her head at him. "Correction, he's Gaara and my son. You and the guys watch the boys while we women go and cook tonight's meal." Everyone laughed when there was a whine and a young woman piped up.

"But I can't cook for crap! Just let me stay with Hidan, please!" there were a few remarks made and the sound of a thump and then mutters of 'itai' but that stopped soon enough and then the women all piled into the kitchen.

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Blood red eyes glared at the men in front of him. These were the only puppets that had responded to him. The one he'd really wanted wasn't here. With a wave of his hand, the men in front of him crumpled into sleeping masses. He turned and looked at the people behind him. They were trying to fix the power generator so they'd at least have the basic amenities. Scoffing, he pushed past them and examined it.

"I need a screwdriver and a wrench." he said while he stared at the generator. The two things were put in his hand and he started tinkering with it. Seconds later, the lights were on, there was a slight breeze through the underground tunnels and the sound of a hot water heater starting echoed through the halls. He put the tools back in Kabuto's hands and walked away to find himself a room.

It was Christmas time…a time he really hated. He flopped down on the bed of the room he'd chosen and closed his eyes. He winced when he felt a burning pain. He reached down and touched the mark that was Yamineska's curse. He had little doubt that Yamineska had cursed him because of Sakura. When she'd first left, she'd left on the trail of the men Orochimaru has sent out to retrieve the little puppet.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to visualize his little puppet. He saw her vibrant green eyes, her smiling face, long brown hair…he even imagined her beautiful body. Breasts a man could feed on like a child, a toned, flat stomach. He moaned and stuck his hand in his pants, adjusting himself. He continued thinking about her. Her hot, sweet core, legs that went on for miles and could squeeze like a silken constrictor, and dainty little feet that were usually bare with bright red toenail polish. He hissed as he started stroking himself. It didn't feel as good when he did it himself as when there was a small woman's hand on it. At least then he could imagine it was Sakura's.

He hissed in pain once more and looked down. His body wasn't even reacting. His mind was, but his body was dead to the sensations. He wasn't even getting hard. He hissed and pulled his hand out, rolling onto his stomach. There had to be a way to reverse this…there had to be.

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Sakura was humming happily in the kitchen as she cooked. All the women, including Kit, had found something to do. She'd already prepared a good deal of the meal by herself while the other women went about their tasks. It seemed that they all moved in sync to one another, never really getting in the other's way, but being close enough for the others to know they are there.

Sakura heard chuckling and looked up to see Kisame lean down and whisper in Itachi's ear. The black haired man blushed, and then smiled, and Sakura couldn't help but smile as well. She was still smiling when she turned and leaned over to get something out of the oven. She nearly jumped when she felt hands on her hips and a body pressed to her backside. She stood and found jade eyes looking back at her. She scowled at him and then scolded him for his behavior.

"Gaara-kun, we're not alone! You shouldn't do such naughty things in public!" she whispered to him. He grunted and leaned against her, inhaling her scent.

"I can't help it. When I see you, I just have to touch you. And that position…" he groaned and rolled his hips against her bottom. She gasped and popped him on the thigh.

"Stop it! People can see us! What if Tomi sees us?" she said in a hushed yet frantic whisper. Gaara growled low in his throat.

"Tomi is not stupid, Sakura. I have slept in the spare bedroom to keep from causing rumors, but our son has already asked why his daddy doesn't sleep in the same bed as his mommy." Sakura gasped and looked over her shoulder at him. He seemed very serious.

"How do you know this? Did he ask you?" Gaara blushed and shook his head. He pointed out to Sasuke.

"Uchiha asked Tomi if we slept together. Tomi said no. He asked if that was unusual. Sasuke laughed and I managed to get Tomi away from him before Sasuke further polluted the child's mind. I heard him ask Amida if his parents slept together. Amida told him yes and now he is worried that we don't love one another." Sakura looked at her son, who looked a little sad as he looked over at Amida and Kisame, who were leaning up against Itachi.

Sakura wiped her hands on her apron and walked into the living room, all the while giving Sasuke a glare. She leaned down and picked up her son, who leaned against her and curled his hand in her hair. "What's wrong baby? You not feeling good?" she asked the little boy, who sniffled. She sat in the chair and comforted him while he sniffled and she wiped his tears.

"Baby, it's okay. Nothing's wrong." she kissed his head and started rocking him. She looked at Gaara, who nodded and went into the kitchen to help in her place. Sakura started humming to her child and then started singing the lullaby she used to sing him when he was really small.

"Don't cry little dove, I give you all my love. I will hold you to my heart, And we will never part. So sleep now my little one, Sleep now my beloved son." she sang it softly to him and heard his sniffles slowly die to small hiccups and then to his light breathing. She kissed his head and rocked him, enjoying the feeling of just holding him.

She looked up and found Amida sleeping in Itachi's lap, while the older Uchiha leaned back against Kisame. Kisame was smiling gently at both of them, clearly happy once more. Sakura then looked up into the haunted eyes of Uchiha Sasuke. She knew well his story. She'd gotten to know him over the few months she'd had to convince him what he thought had happened to his family wasn't real. She'd had him tell her every detail he could remember. She'd then produced an envelope and shown him proof that the accusations made against his brother were false. Itachi hadn't even been in the country when their family had died. She'd gone through a lot of trouble to dig up the truth, had even stepped on a few toes to do it. But she'd proven to Sasuke that his brother hadn't murdered their family.

She knew he was seeing himself and his mother…or perhaps a younger sibling and his mother. It was in his eyes…the pain and envy. She felt bad for him, but she was also mad at him for upsetting her son. She just closed her eyes and held her son as Gaara came in and announced that dinner was ready. Sakura stood with her son in her arms and looked up at Gaara. She smiled and stood on her tip toes and kissed him. He froze as she did and just barely kissed her back.

The clearing of throats had them breaking apart and walking to the table, which was now ready for them to sit down and eat. She woke Tomi up and he was infinitely happy to see his mommy and daddy sitting together, touching lightly and kissing every once in a while. It also made Sakura slightly happy.

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Sasuke watched Sakura and Gaara interact and also how the two interacted with Sakura's son, Tomi. He'd been trying to embarrass Gaara, but had instead pissed off Sakura. He hadn't missed the glare she'd sent him when she'd come in, nor had he missed the glare she'd sent him when she'd sang to her son. That image was forever burned into his memory now: Sakura holding her son and singing sweetly to him.

He felt jealousy rear its head and tried to shake the feeling off. Sakura had helped him reconcile his differences with his brother…she'd given him family back. He shouldn't be feeling like this. Disturbed by his own feelings, he excused himself to the bathroom and ran some water in his hands. He splashed his face, trying to wash away the negative feelings.

A knock on the door made him jump. He cracked the door and noticed his brother's concerned blank black eyes. Kisame was standing just behind to ensure that Itachi was okay. Sasuke nodded to the older man, who nodded back and went back to the kitchen. Sasuke was surprised when his brother spoke. "Are you feeling well, Sasuke?" the younger Uchiha couldn't help but smile at his brother.

"You know, it's strange…I had such a powerful buildup of negative emotions when I came in here, but now that you're here…I don't feel them at all." Sasuke said in a quiet voice. Itachi smiled a genuine smile, feeling happy for the first time in a long time. Sasuke smiled at his brother and came out of the bathroom with a lighter heart.

They had just sat down at the dinner table once more when the phone rang. Sasuke noticed Itachi stiffen and cock his head. His eyes narrowed worriedly. He stood and went to his brother. "Aniki, what's wrong?" Itachi put his hand over Sasuke as it rested on his shoulder. The phone rang a few times and then stopped. Itachi stood up, his face pale.

"That phone is supposed to tell me who's calling and if it doesn't recognize the number, it's supposed to block it." Itachi was on his feet now and walking towards the living room. Sasuke felt his gut twist and pulled his brother back.

"Aniki, I have a really bad feeling about this. I think we should finish dinner and decide what to do then." Itachi nodded and sat down. They had just started eating again when the phone rang again. They all paused and listened to it. The voice mail picked up. The voice that came over the other end made them nervous.

"I know where you are now…Uchiha. I'm going to finish what I started all those years ago. The Uchihas are going to be extinct." there was a creepy laugh/cackle/cough as the person hung up the phone. Everyone looked at the two brothers, the older of whom was shaking terribly. Sasuke noticed that Itachi's eyes were wide with terror.

"Aniki?" Sasuke asked in a quiet, concerned voice. There were tears streaming down Itachi's face now. It seemed he knew who the person was.

"It's him…he's back…" Itachi buried his face in his hands and shook his head, sobbing. Kisame threw his napkin on the table and wrapped his arms around Itachi, who clung to him. Itachi also pulled Sasuke to him, holding onto him tightly.

Kisame kissed Itachi on the temple and tried to calm him. "Who's back Itachi? What's going on? Who is that and how do you know him?" Itachi couldn't stop crying and it was agitating the children as well as some of the adults…Kit in particular.

Kit stood and walked over to Itachi, kneeling in front of him. She pulled his hands from his face and looked into his blind eyes. Crooning, she reached up and kissed his eyes. "You're vulnerable here, without your eyes." she looked over her shoulder at Sakura, who stood. Everyone got really quiet as Sakura walked around the table to crouch by Kit in front of Itachi. Kit got up and took a step back, her eyes wide with…fear? Sakura's eyes were covered by her bangs as she pulled Itachi into a hug.

"You have protected me for years, Itachi." when she looked up, there was something menacing in her eyes. It was like something feral was coiled up behind her eyes. "It's my turn to protect you." she held him while he cried. No one felt particularly hungry anymore, so the table was cleared and the children curled up with their 'parents'. Amida was curled up around Itachi, while his father sat on the couch beside the older Uchiha male. Tomi curled around his mother's hip, sandwiched between her and Gaara, as the older red head wrapped his arm around Sakura's shoulders.

There was still the heavy silence, but it was Gaara that broke it. "Itachi, you kept Sakura out of Sasori's clutches for years. We both owe you for that. In return, we will protect you from this psychopath that is after you. When we go back to Kagure tomorrow, you are going to come with us and stay with us until this is resolved. Your dog is more than welcome as well. I'm sure the girls will be grateful for the company." Itachi nodded and rested his head on Kisame's shoulder.

Kisame perked and looked at Sakura and Gaara. "What if I take Itachi out of the country? I'm supposed to go on a business trip to the Imperial City for trade…if I take Amida and Itachi…I'm sure Itachi can disguise himself as a woman. I can claim a family trip and no one would be any wiser." Sakura seemed to agree more with this.

"That sounds like the safest thing we could do for Itachi at this point. Getting both Uchihas out of the country until this is resolved insures neither are put in danger. Pein, can you and Konan take Zet, Tobi, and Sasuke to one of the Akatsuki safe houses in the states? They're not compromised are they?" Pein nodded and looked at Konan.

"We can hide him. Don't worry about that. But what are you going to do about Sasori? He's here now, isn't he?" they all noticed Gaara tense. Sakura put her hand on his knee and he calmed.

"Sasori is a secondary concern at this point. Its five months till graduation, so we can't go on the run. We have to stand and fight. Pein, you make plans to take Sasuke to a safe house in the states. Kisame, you make plans to vacation with Amida and Itachi in the capital city. I'll call Sarutobi-otoji and tell him the situation. He can probably get you an imperial escort while you're there…just in case." the two being addressed nodded and broke off into groups to talk. Sakura then turned to Miranda and the others.

"Things are going to get much more complicated from here on out." Miranda nodded and looked at Kit. Both females looked at Sakura.

"Kit and I will look after Tomi, as well as Kankuro, Drake and Constantine." Miranda said and looked at Kit, who looked at Hidan.

"I will help however I am needed." Hidan said in a low tone. He'd learned from experience that when Kit looked at him like that, she wanted him to agree with her. Sakura nodded and looked down at her son. This was going to end.


	24. Semblance of Normalcy

**A/N: Yeeeeeaaaaahhhhh...im just gonna shut up and let you read. Mandatory disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING BUT PLOT AND A FEW MADE UP CHARACTERS!**

Chapter 24: Semblance of Normalcy

After Christmas, Itachi came back with them to Kagure with his service dog. He'd taken up dressing as a woman, and he pulled it off quite amazingly. Even Sarutobi had been fooled at first. And so Itachi took on the role as Amida's mother. The hospital was advised to seal those records for the safety of the family, Miranda having paid the hospital a visit to ensure this, and so it was that Itachi was effectively hidden.

Sasuke had returned to school with the others, only to have an accident faked. In front of the whole school they saw Sasuke 'die'. He was rushed to the 'hospital' and died there. His death was reported, the certificate was presented, and his obituary was put into the paper. After that, Pein and the others took Miranda's private jet back to the states and went into hiding with Sasuke.

Things were essentially back to normal. Miranda and Kankuro shared the apartment across town with Temari, who hadn't liked the idea until she was told Miranda was the only thing keeping Kankuro alive and out of the clutches of a murderer. There was no contest then. Kit and Hidan lived in the house with Sakura and Gaara, a sort of in-home babysitting service. The two shared a room and after dinner usually retreated there.

Since that evening at Itachi's house, Sakura had given Gaara permission to sleep with her, as long as it was nothing more than sleep right now. Gaara had arched a brow and she had blushed and revealed that she wasn't quite ready for the next step in their relationship. Gaara had chuckled and pressed his body to hers and kissed her gently. He told her that her body would know when it was ready and when that time came, he'd willingly accommodate her. She's smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, which is what Tomi had seen when he'd toddled in and asked to sleep with them.

Gaara had chuckled and picked the little boy up and held him close. Sakura had teared up at the sweet display and had giggled at the two when they'd double teamed her to cheer her up. That had been nearly two weeks ago. It was now the third week in January and school had resumed as normal. Sakura and Gaara left the house, together, and went to school. Around four, Kit and Hidan met the two at the Tea Tree with Tomi. Sakura had just made a green tea when a concerned looking Hidan came in, Tomi in his arms.

"We were followed. Kit held them off until I could get Tomi here, but I'm not leaving here there alone. You two find a safe place to hide and we'll see you back at the house." Sakura took Tomi, who was crying, and watched as Hidan rushed back out. Sakura turned and looked at Sarutobi, who nodded. Sakura handed Tomi to Ino and looked him in the eyes.

"Mommy and Daddy are going to help auntie Kit and uncle Hidan. Do you think you can behave for auntie Ino?" the little boy whimpered and hugged her, clearly not wanting her to go, but then he looked up at her with frightened eyes.

"Mommy…they hurt auntie…loud noise and she fall. Uncle Hidan didn't see, but I did." he cried into her shoulder. Sakura looked over at Gaara, who had heard. With a dangerous growl, Gaara disappeared. Sakura kissed Tomi on the forehead and looked him in the eyes.

"Don't worry baby. Mommy and daddy are going to bring auntie Kit home. Promise." she smiled at him and the little boy nodded, clinging to Ino instead of his mother. Sakura turned and went into the back of the shop. "I knew this semblance of normalcy wouldn't last long…" she sighed and disappeared.

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Hidan growled as he took out his weapon of choice…a scythe. He glared at the people between him and Kit, who was being held in a man's arms. Hidan growled at that. "Put my woman down and walk away, and I _might _let you live." Hidan growled at the man, who chuckled. His brunette hair reminded him of Temari's boyfriend, Shikamaru, but that's where the resemblance ended. The man looked down at Kit and ran his hand over her face.

"She is truly beautiful. A masterpiece of genetic tampering and natural appeal." Hidan growled even louder when the man brushed his hands over Kit's breasts. She'd taken to wearing pieces of Hidan's clothing that she altered just enough for it to be comfortable on her. Like now, she had one of his black button-down shirts, but she'd altered it to suit her taste. White mesh underneath it matched the white mesh leggings she wore under her black skirt. The bulky black boots she was so fond of made an interesting contrast.

Hidan growled low in his throat. He and Kit had been intimate for months now and seeing another man put his hand son her pissed him off. She was his, dammit, and he'd damn well show this man not to mess with what didn't belong to him.

With a growl, Hidan spread his feet a little apart and glared. "You know, there's a reason I was a tracker for Akatsuki before it disbanded." he murmured gruffly and chanted something. Suddenly, red light erupted below their feet. A circle appeared and encased them all in it. One man tried to get out, but he burst into flames as he neared the edge. Hidan noticed the shocked look on the brunette's face. "You have touched my woman in a violating way. Neither you nor your men will leave here alive." Hidan growled and held his scythe out in front of him.

He struck the ground with the rounded end and glared at them. His body suddenly began changing. His skin steadily grew black while his skeleton became outlined in white. The men before him stared in horror as he became something from nightmares. He stood before them, unrepentant, intent on getting his woman back. When he spoke, it was quite frightening. "**Now, who will be the first to die by my hand?**" a man started shooting at him, terrified of this ghastly being before them.

Hidan blocked all the bullets with his scythe, his expression never changing. The man that shot at him suddenly crumpled when Hidan held up his hand. He screamed in agony and started writhing on the floor. When he became still, the man next to him leaned over to see what had happened. Hidan smirked as the man leapt on the other, a shell of his former self and completely under Hidan's control. The brunette looked at him, horrified.

"What the hell are you!?" he demanded as he held Kit to him. Hidan growled at the way the man was holding her and stared at him.

"**It's called necromancy. Release my woman, and I may spare you.**" he said in a flat tone. He would kill them all, but the idea of that man touching his woman anymore pissed him off. The man growled and put his gun to Kit's head.

"Let us out of here, or I put a bullet in her head." Hidan growled low in his throat, until he noticed Kit's hand twitch. Hidan then closed his eyes. His skin returned to normal and the man he was controlling dropped to the ground, dead. The man he'd been attacking dropped as well. The brunette chuckled at Hidan and pointed the gun at him. "Fool. You might have gotten her back had you kept your freak show going." He was about to pull the trigger when he gasped, his gun wavering.

He looked down to see Kit staring up at him with glowing orange eyes. There were rings around her eyes and the very center was silver. She bared abnormally long fangs at the man in front of her. "You threaten my mate…I kill you." she hissed and pulled her hand back, covered in blood. Hidan's eyes widened as blood poured from his wound and she rounded on the other men. Before she could act, Hidan engulfed her in his embrace.

"Little love, we need them for questioning." he said gently. He heard her growl and he began kissing the back of her neck. He noticed her growl turned into an excited purr-like noise. Hidan looked up to see the men fleeing, only to run into Sakura and Gaara. Hidan nodded to them and the two nodded back, each carrying a man they would question later.

When the two were gone, and it was just Hidan and Kit, Hidan buried his face in the hair on the right side of her neck. He growled at her, letting her know he wanted her. She responded and turned on him with feral lust. Hidan shivered at the feel of her fangs against his neck as she grabbed the lapels of his shirt and ripped it down, buttons flying everywhere. Hidan growled aggressively and she purred in response.

He could feel her nails raking over his skin and he hissed in arousal. He watched as she pushed him onto his back there, in the middle of the road. Not wanting to be interrupted, he whispered in her ear. She nodded and they suddenly disappeared. When they reappeared, it was in their bedroom as Sakura's house.

Kit growled at him and her eyes flickered to his pants. He smirked and reached down, teasingly undoing the button. He chuckled when she swatted his hands away and ripped open his pants. His straining arousal was barely kept in check by his boxers, but she didn't pay any heed to that, just pulled him out and ran her finger over him. He hissed and glared up at her. She smirked back at him and then positioned herself.

She let out a gasped scream as she pushed herself down on him. He gripped her hips tightly and let out a choked curse of his own. He began thrusting up into her as she sat there, her head thrown back in pleasure. Growling, he put his hand at the small of her back and rolled so he was on top of her. He leaned down and nibbled her ear, whispering to her, making her hotter. He felt her constrict around him and he gasped, going faster, trying to reach that heavenly precipice.

He heard her choke a sob and he kissed her gently, his body working hers furiously. He held her to him as he made love to her furiously, his mouth on hers, his hands on her, and his body inside hers. He groaned as he felt the tension coil. He started growling and looked her in the eyes. He could tell she was even closer than he was. He wanted her to come, wanted her to scream her joy, wanted…

He gasped as she arched up against him, screaming so helplessly that it sounded like she was howling at the moon. Her body's reaction to his was more than he could withstand and, with a chorus of moans and grunts, he emptied himself inside her. When he could see and hear once more, he opened his eyes and found he was lying on top of Kit, who was stroking his hair. He lifted himself and looked down at her. She was smiling up at him as he stared down at her in awe. He shook his head and looked at her.

"The things you do to me…" he whispered and rested his head on her chest once more. He felt her rubbing up and down his back and then suddenly he gasped. He felt himself come again and looked down at her as she stared up at him, trying to act innocent. He hissed and laid his head back down on her chest. He wanted to rest with her a little while…just the two of them. He was nearly asleep when his body jerked and he found himself on Kit again, this time her rear was in the air and he was pumping into her uncontrollably from behind.

His mind awoke to the intense pleasure and he started thrusting into her even harder. He heard her mewl of pleasure and his mind snapped. He went wild on her, biting her shoulder, clawing her hips, pushing himself painfully deep inside her. Through it all, he heard her moan in pleasure. Lost in his own pleasure, he sped up, trying to find that peace once more. When he did, he nearly crushed her as his arms tightened around her and his body tried to fold hers in half to reach completion. He heard her yelp and looked at her to see her eyes glazed with pleasure as he emptied himself in her once more.

He collapsed then, spent in mind, soul, and most especially, body. He was panting as he tried to lift himself from her. However, she had other plans and instead rolled them so she could look him in the eyes while they were still joined together. He noticed her look and his brows creased together as he frowned.

"Kit? What's wrong?" He noticed her gaze up at him adoringly.

"Hidan…its breeding season." she said in a gentle tone and pushed against him, seating him deep inside her. He arched a brow at her, not quite understanding in his current condition. She purred and nuzzled him. "I came into heat today…it's why I reacted the way I did to your presence. It's why you can't keep your hands off me, even when you're sleeping. It's why you're thrusting into me, even now." he looked down and noticed his body was moving on its own. He arched a brow and looked at her.

"You said breeding season. Does that mean you'll get pregnant from what we're doing?" he asked in a light voice and put his hands on her hips, thrusting into her once more. He heard her moan as he did. She nodded and arched against him.

"We've already been at this for hours, Hidan. This is going to last two days, at the most, and you won't be able to keep your hands off me. You're going to get me pregnant sooner or later at this rate." she said in a gasping voice as he gave her a particularly deep thrust. He growled against her neck.

"Do you want this? Do you want to have my child?" he heard her moan and wrap her legs around his backside.

"YES!" she screamed as he gave her another deep thrust. "Yes, yes, yes…I want you. I want your pups growing inside me, I want to be yours and only yours!" she sobbed as he continued to thrust into her. He felt a smug smirk crawl over his face and he buried his nose in her hair, sending her over the edge once more.

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Miranda sighed as she stood under the spray of the shower. She and Kankuro hadn't taken their relationship any further than a few gentle touches and shy kisses. She was new to this 'relationship' thing. She growled as she stood in the spray of water. She felt unbearably hot. She shook her head and turned the water to cold suddenly. It helped a little, but not much. She also felt the overwhelming need to find Kankuro and ensure herself that he was alright. She knew he was out and about, but she didn't know where.

A scent hit her nose and suddenly, she turned feral. There was another female in the house. With a growl, she disappeared from the shower in search of Kankuro. She followed the scent of him, her normally violet eyes a dark and dangerous stormy purple. There was a feral air about her. She lifted her head and scented Kankuro, but there was another scent as well. A female scent. She growled and suddenly appeared right in front of Kankuro, her arms wrapping around him as she growled low and dangerously at the female that was standing a little too close to him.

"Mine." Miranda growled dangerously and then just disappeared. She reappeared in the shower at the house, dousing Kankuro and soaking his clothes.

"Miranda, what are you-" he didn't get to finish as Miranda tore off his shirt and rubbed her face against his chest. Her marks appeared, as well as his, and he just leaned back and allowed her to do as she wished. She was exerting her will over him and right now, she needed him in the most primitive way.

With a growl, she turned and put her hands on the wall, looking at him over her shoulder. He seemed shocked at what she was offering, but she growled at him again and he stepped forward, putting his arms around her. "Miranda…" he whispered in a dazed voice. She felt his burning skin on hers as he stripped his clothing off and she purred as she felt him against her. She pushed back against his aroused flesh with her bottom, demanding something of him.

She hissed and growled as she felt him pushing into her from behind. He grabbed her leg and lifted it slightly, easing his passage. She panted as he set a slow pace, pumping into her gently to ensure he didn't hurt her. She could hear his groans and moans as he took her there, against the wall of their shower. The water was icy cold, but their bodies were unbearably hot as they mated furiously. Miranda could feel something building inside her…it frightened her and she tried to escape it, but it caught up with her and suddenly, she let out an ear piercing scream.

She felt Kankuro behind her, his hips slapping against her bottom as he tried to prolong her pleasure. She was blind, deaf, and dazed. She couldn't do anything but feel him against her, feel his teeth in her shoulder. When her senses returned, the water was off and she felt like she was stuffed with something. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes back to normal, and found Kankuro there, panting. She arched a brow at him and he just reached up and kissed her gently. Suddenly, she felt him pull out and the feel of being stuffed lessened. However, she then felt something sliding down her thigh.

She looked down and found something sticky and white on her thighs. She looked up at Kankuro, who had his eyes closed and was breathing heavily. She felt that burning feeling once more…the need for something. Suddenly, she was on top of him and kissing him senseless. With a growl, she raked her nails over him and nibbled his neck. She felt something prodding her thigh and growled approvingly. Without really thinking about it, she slipped the thing into her and pushed down. She purred in approval as the felt full again.

She set the pace this time, her head thrown back and her hips circling. She looked down at Kankuro and noticed that his eyes were closed and his hands gripped her hips tightly. She leaned down and licked his face, making him open his eyes. When their eyes met, they both groaned. She had a feeling this wasn't going to be the last time they did this today.

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Drake rolled to his side and sighed. He was still tired, but he knew he had things to do. He got up and was about to get dressed when a scent filled his nose. He froze and sniffed again. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Constantine was in heat. He shook his head, confused. Females were the only ones that went into heat…weren't they? Curious, he picked up the phone and called the number he'd been given in order to get in touch with Yamineska.

It rang four times and then she picked up. _"Hello?"_ came her gentle voice. Quietly, Drake stood and went out to the balcony of their hotel room. There hadn't been enough space, so they'd decided to stay here for a while.

"Yamineska, it's Drake. I have a few questions for you regarding Maeteran mating." he heard Yamineska say something and then a slight scrape. It was obvious that whoever she was with, she didn't want them hearing her conversation.

_"I am listening."_ she said gently once more. Drake sighed and looked over at Constantine.

"I woke up a little ago and I could have sworn that I can smell Constantine in heat. But only females go into heat, right?" he heard Yamineska say something to herself and then she sighed.

_"Drake, all Maetera have a profuse sex appeal to other species. It's part of the curse. However, with the genetic tampering Orochimaru performed on his subjects, there's a chance that your mating with Constantine would result in him bearing pups. It's not unheard of in Maeteran society, but it is rare. Mutations that cause a Maeteran to develop both male and female sexual organs were something that fascinated Orochimaru. It's possible that Constantine is one of these 'special' Maeterans."_ Drake was shocked. There was a possibility that Constantine was a hermaphrodite?

He looked back over at Constantine and arched a brow. If that were so then…where was the female part of him? He heard Yamineska speaking once more. _"If he did become pregnant with your pups, he would have to have them cut out. If he has female organs, they are most likely all internal. However, the change that would occur in his body would most likely be an outwardly one. If he were to become pupped, his breasts would react and begin producing milk. I suggest you get a hold of Orochimaru's files on him before you succumb to the desire to mate with him. There's a possibility that Orochimaru tampered with Constantine's genetic makeup and made him male…especially if it were for his own purposes." _this made Drake growl menacingly. He remembered the way Orochimaru used to look at the dark haired youth.

"How can I get anything from him? We investigated the site you told us about and there was nothing there." he heard her chuckle then.

_"There is a single computer in the room blown out. You'll find what you want there._" Drake nodded and thanked her before she hung up. He hung up as well and looked over at Constantine. With determined eyes, he got up, write a note, and then left. He wanted to know the truth of what Orochimaru had done to them…and most especially, what the mad man had done to Constantine.

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Sakura held Tomi to her as she thought about the things that had happened today. Things had started out so perfectly, only to end in disaster. As she sat there, she began to feel uncomfortably warm. She shook her head and called Sarutobi in. She knew what this was. It had started happening to her not long after she completed the program. She had to go somewhere and be alone.

Sarutobi entered and froze. "Sakura…what's that smell?" she noticed he was fighting something and she gasped for breath.

"It's something that happens to females that go through the program. It's like when dogs go into heat or something similar. I have to get away, be alone for a while." she looked up and found him using a tea bag to cover his nose.

"I dare not get any closer to you. Just leave Tomi on the couch to sleep and go home. Lock yourself in your bedroom or in the basement, somewhere far from others." Sakura nodded and put her son down before disappearing.

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Gaara was pacing back and forth as he looked out the door of the Tea Tree Café. He was worried about Kit. Finally unable to stand it, he turned and went to the back to talk to Sakura. He wanted her to let him go search for Kit. However, when he got back there, he saw Sarutobi was putting a blanket over Tomi and Sakura…Sakura was nowhere in sight. Lifting his nose, he caught her scent…and something else.

He choked and shook his head. She was in heat. She was in heat and he could smell her arousal. With a growl, he disappeared, tracking her. When he got to her house, he could smell three distinct scents. First was Sakura, as hers was the strongest and the one he was concentrating on, the second and third were intertwined and the foremost one was Kit. Satisfied on all ends, he went in search of Sakura.

Bolting up the stairs, he found her scent led him into their bedroom. His eyes dilated as he tried opening the door. No luck, it was locked. Determined, Gaara closed his eyes and felt his being turn into sand particles and slip through the keyhole. When he was inside, he could smell her. Her scent invaded his mind, aroused his body.

He growled, which got her attention. She whirled and stared at him in wide eyed shock. "G-gaara!?" he growled and stomped over to her, pulling her against his chest. A growl rumbled deep inside him and he leaned down and inhaled her scent. She gasped and practically melted in his arms.

With an aggressive growl, he crowded her closer to the bed. He reached down and traced her lips with his fingers before his lips traced hers. He kissed her long and hard, holding her to him. He only let go to let her breath and then he was licking his way down her neck. He could feel her gripping him like a life line. It seemed as if his scent was only arousing her further, which in turn aroused him further, creating an endless cycle of arousal.

Need and lust warred in the two as they kissed, licked and nipped. It was Gaara, however, that pulled away. "Sakura, are you sure about this? I can leave if this isn't what you want, I can-" he was cut off by her kissing him gently. He growled and suddenly pushed her gently back onto the bed. She looked up at him, her eyes begging. He nodded and shook his head enough to clear it.

Reaching into the nighstand, he took out a box of condoms. Sakura arched a brow and he kissed her forehead. "We have Tomi to worry about right now. We can't afford to think about another one until he's a little older." he husked. She smiled at him and kissed him, taking the condom packet from him. With heated kisses and hurried hands, they undressed one another.

When they were both bare, they explored one another with their hands, familiarizing themselves with each other's body. Gaara arched a brow when his hand grazed her womanhood and he looked down to see a soft tufts of pink curls. She blushed. "M-my parents dyed my hair when I was younger so I didn't attract attention. I've dyed it ever since to keep Sasori from finding me." he nodded and kissed her shoulder gently. They went back to their gentle explorations, until it was more than either could stand anymore.

Very carefully, Gaara lifted himself over Sakura. He pressed down against her and groaned at the feel of her bare skin against his. He felt her tense slightly, but then relax when he whispered in her ear. He felt her put her arms around his neck and kiss him gently on the collar bone. Very gently, he began stroking her body with his, letting her get used to him touching her intimately. When she begged him to do something, he reached down and took the condom packet from the bed where it had dropped moments ago.

He tore the packet open and took the condom and put it on. When it was on, he gently pressed back down against her and nuzzled the side of her face. She gasped and took a deep breath as he told her what he was going to do before he did it. He gently touched her, assuring her that he was going to go slow. She nodded and held on to him as he gently prodded her. He kissed her very gently as he slowly started entering her.

He felt her tense and he just kept kissing her, telling her how much he loved her, how good she felt, how beautiful she was. He felt her gasp as he pushed deeper into her, until he was all the way in. He groaned and gasped out a breath as he felt her around him. She felt better than anything he'd ever experienced. He waited until she told him she was ready before they gently started rocking together.

He noticed her tense up every so often and decided that, in order to replace what was done to her, he'd have to let her experience it in a different way…despite how much he wanted to dominate her, that wasn't what she needed right now. She needed gentle loving right now. So, to show her how much he truly loved her, he rolled onto his back and gave her the power. He noticed her eyes widen when he did this and he smiled lovingly up at her. Tears slipped down her face as she leaned down and kissed him, sobbingly telling him thank you.

He held her for a while, until the mood returned, and they gently rocked together. He heard her gasp slightly once as he shifted, and then gasp again when he lifted slightly. He growled low in his throat and scraped her shoulder with his teeth. He was now sitting up, her in his lap, as they moved together as one. She was wrapped around him and he was steadily thrusting up into her. He could feel the mating heat getting hotter and hotter and he just reveled in it.

He felt her muscles twitching as she held on to him. He gave a slightly harder thrust and she arched up in his arms, crying out in passion. He kissed her breasts that were pressed against him as she had her first orgasm ever. She sobbed and held onto him for dear life. He kissed her gently and kept moving inside her, seeking his own relief now. She still had tears in her eyes when she whispered something to him and he felt ecstasy shoot through him and he was suddenly moaning his pleasure to her. They held tightly to one another until they both stopped shaking.

When he pulled out of her, he pulled the condom off and grabbed a tissue. Cleaning her gently, he wrapped the condom in the tissue and put it in the trashcan by their bed. He then pulled the covers up and they slid beneath them, together, for a little nap. Neither had forgotten that Tomi was still at the Tea Tree.

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Ino was worried. Gaara had disappeared, as had Sakura. Tomi was still sleeping on the couch and Sakura's car was still here. So…where were they? She looked over at Sarutobi, who looked mildly disgruntled. Otoji, what's wrong?" she asked gently. Sarutobi looked at her and shook his head.

"There is a side effect to that program Sakura went through that she forgot to warn us about. She…well, she essentially goes into heat. She just did, about an hour ago. I sent her home until it stops." Ino arched a brow and looked at Tomi.

"Well, if you sent Sakura home…where's Gaara? I know he wouldn't leave Tomi here alone without a good reason." Sarutobi looked up and then looked around. It was true…Gaara wasn't there either. Suddenly, the door opened and a man walked in, a woman hot on his heels. The man walked up to them and smiled.

"Hello. I'm looking for a young lady that works here. Her name is Sakura. Haruno Sakura." Ino's eyes narrowed on the two and she turned and looked at Sarutobi, who shrugged.

"Go see if she's in the back, Ino." He said without looking up. He then smacked his fist into his hand, like he'd forgotten something. "Ah, I forgot the vanilla. Ino, help me grab that before you look for Sakura." Ino nodded, wondering what Sarutobi was talking about. When they were in the back, Sarutobi stopped her.

"I know those two. They're the people after Sakura and Kit. Take Tomi and go to my house. I'll call you if it's safe to take him home." Ino nodded and grabbed the other end of the vanilla beans bag and helped Sarutobi carry it out. She sat it down and then looked up at Sarutobi.

"I'll look for Sakura. I'll yell if she's not here, but I really have to be getting home soon. Kiba is stopping by tonight." Sarutobi nodded and kissed on the top of the head.

"Thank you, my dear. I'm sure I can handle things from here." Ino nodded and disappeared into the back. She wrapped Tomi up and gathered his things. She held him close to her and then gently called to Sarutobi.

"She's not here. She must have left already. Her shift ended about fifteen minutes ago anyways." Ino knew it was a bold faced lie, something she didn't like doing. But Sakura's life was in danger and these people were the cause. She heard Sarutobi thank her and she bundled up Tomi against the cold and ran out to Sakura's car. She dug through the bag in her hand and found the spares and unlocked it, putting Tomi inside.

She covered him up and got in Sakura's car and locked the doors, just in case. It was a good thing she did, because she had just started the car when there was a tap on the glass of her window. She jumped and looked out to see the same man smiling down at her. She didn't even smile at him this time. "What do you want?" she asked in a suspicious tone. He looked in the back and noticed the little boy lying there, sleeping. His hair was covered, thankfully, and his eyes were closed.

"When did you last see Sakura? It's very important that I find her." Ino looked back and noticed the woman was at Tomi's door. She growled and glared at the man.

"I don't know who you are, or what you're after. But if that woman doesn't get away from my son, I will drive off and you will never see me again." she noticed the man's eyes widen in shock and then he motioned the woman over to him. She let her eyes linger longingly on the child for a second and then went over to the man.

Ino glared at them both. "Sakura was here for her shift around two, right after school. We were working together until her brother came in all frantic like, saying that his girlfriend collapsed. Sakura left and came back and that was the last time I saw her." The man narrowed his eyes on her, but Ino just glared back. "Now, if you don't mind, I've had a hard day and I would like to take my son home and spend time with my fiancé." she put the car in reverse and was about to pull out when the man put his hand on the glass once more.

"If you see her, could you tell her it's important? I'm from the same agency her parents worked for. We have a new lead on the man who killed them." Ino nodded, though she knew they were lying. She knew full well who they were, who they worked for, and what they were up to. Without another word, she backed out of the spot and drove to Sarutobi's house. On her way, she phoned Kiba, Naruto, Hinata, Temari, and Shikamaru. She told them all to meet her at Sarutobi's house and told them what was happening.

She looked in her rearview and noticed that she was being followed. When she pulled in at Sarutobi's, her friends were there, waiting. Kiba acted the part of the happy father, picking the sleeping boy up and holding him gently, while Ino greeted Hinata and Temari with feigned surprise. The others followed suit and they all went inside. Ino looked out the window and noticed the two get out and walk towards the house. She picked up her cell and phoned Sakura.

A sleepy voice met her. Ino shook her head. "Sakura, send Gaara over here right now. That Kabuto guy is here and his little blow up doll as well. They're heading for Sarutobi's house right now. I'm here with Tomi." Sakura gasped and then the line went dead. Suddenly, Sakura and Gaara were there, both fully clothed. Salura took Tomi into her arms and hugged him to her. It was then that Gaara looked out the window. He saw both of them canvassing the house.

He held up his hand and suddenly, a blonde version of Tomi was in his arms, its black eyes blinking. He handed the child to Ino, who blinked. Gaara just kept watching the two intruders. "He's made of sand, so he wont talk and he wont eat. I want you and Kiba to start yelling. Act like you're having a fight. Ino, I want you to storm out of here with the sand baby and take Sakura's car to your house. I'll pick it up later. I'm going to leave with Temari and Tomi. I want Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru to leave a little after us. Shikamaru, I need you to look dazed. I want them to think that you and Kiba fought." Shikamaru nodded, seeming to understand where this was going. Sakura, go back to the house and wait for me there." Sakura looked nervous, but nodded and disappeared.

Gaara noticed the two creeping towards the house and he turned and nodded to Ino, who looked at Kiba and winked. She then started yelling. "WHAT!? What do you mean you want to break off the engagement!? What the hell is going on!?" Kiba blew her a kiss before yelling back.

"Naruto and Hinata saw you kissing Shikamaru at work today! I'm not marrying a woman that's not going to stay true to me!" Ino arched a brow and looked over at Shikamaru, who was pale. Ino gagged silently and shook her head.

"I wasn't kissing him! I was thanking him for watching Soma for us! I hugged him you jealous dolt! He brought Soma over right before I got off work!" she yelled. She noticed Tomi stir, but Gaara shushed him and nuzzled the little boy's face gently.

"Can you two keep it down? You're going to wake my son up. I just got him to sleep while we were waiting for you guys to get here." Gaara said in his deep voice. He looked over at Temari, who couldn't bring herself to act like she was the boy's mother.

"You know that after Sherice died, it's hard for Tomi to sleep. Keep it down before you wake him up!" she urged. It was then that Ino smirked and blew a kiss at Kiba.

"Fine. I'm going back to my apartment. You can stay here Kiba. I'm not sleeping with you tonight with the way you've acted. I hope Otoji doesn't mind company, because I'm leaving you here with him!" Ino stuck her nose in the air and jerked the door open and marched out, her blonde headed child in her arms. She looked down and say his bare head and yelled. "HEY! Give me his hat!" a cap was flung out after her and she caught it, plopping it down on the child's head. "Nerve of that idiot…thinking I'm cheating on him. We've been together since even before Soma was born. Stupid jerk." she grumbled, but she was laughing on the inside.

Shikamaru stuck his head out and called to her. "You need me to keep Soma tomorrow?" A fist from nowhere caught the brunette off guard and he fell to the floor as Kiba growled at him.

"You've done enough, thanks. Why didn't you tell me before I said something to her!" Shikamaru rubbed his face and glared.

"I would have thought that you guys having been together so long and even having a child together would tell you that she loves you Kiba. Ino and I have been friends since kindergarten. You know we don't look at each other that way." Kiba plopped down on the floor and groused. A deep sigh was heard and then Gaara walked out, Temari right behind him. Temari helped Shikamaru up and checked his injury. She turned murderous eyes on Kiba, who smiled nervously and held up his hands.

"You may have misconstrued Ino's thanks, but you ever hit him like that again and I'll put you in a coma, Kiba." she reached up and kissed the already bruising flesh. "Come on, Shika. You can come home with me. I'll treat that so it's not so black tomorrow at school." She glared daggers at Kiba, who looked sad. Gaara put his hand Kiba's shoulder.

"She wont be mad long Kiba. She loves you. You need to trust her more." He then stepped out and shielded Tomi not only from the wind, but also from the spies. He took his hat off and put it on the small boy's head, further shielding him. He heard a gasped 'Sasori' and he turned to face them. He noticed them staring at him in awe. "I'm sorry…who are you?" he asked in a suspicious tone. He cradled Tomi closer to his chest. The two just shook their heads.

"We…you just remind us of someone we knew. Isn't that right honey?" The woman nodded and they both turned around and walked off. Gaara glared at them as they left. He nodded and they all walked back inside. Gaara told them all to go home accordingly and then he disappeared, Tomi in his arms.


	25. And The Truth Comes Out

**A/N: HAHA! PLOT TWIST BABY! Sis has been helpin me with this, so we are pumping out new chapters. She's home for father's day, but she's leaving tomorrow b4 her classes start back up. Anyways, hope you enjoy! P.S. I OWN NOTHING BUT PLOT AND OCs!**

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Chapter 25: And The Truth Comes Out

Golden eyes searched around the ruins for what he'd been told would be there. He walked through the ruined walkways again, for the fourth time. He ran his hands through his silver hair in frustration. Something fell and caught his eye. He looked over and noticed a really ruined looking part of the 'house'. He remembered what Yamineska had told him about looking in the room that had been blown out. Most of the house was intact, except the places close to that room.

He picked his way through the debris, keeping his eyes open for a computer. He saw what appeared to be the glare of a monitor and he gasped, running over to it. He pushed large chunks of sheetrock and paneling off it. He groaned as he noticed that the monitor was busted up. He was about to give up when a large piece of sheet rock collapsed beside him, making him jump in surprise. When he waved away the dust, a smile lit his face. There, hidden amongst the sheet rock and ceiling chunks, was the PC that accompanied the monitor.

Picking up the surprisingly up to date piece of equipment, he looked around for other pieces he could use. He took the connection cord from the monitor that was busted and started looking for somewhere to set up. He retreated back to the inner recesses of the house to find either a television he could hot wire or an abandoned monitor. Sitting his treasure down on the nearest stable surface, he went back to where he knew the labs to be. He searched for something he could possibly use as a screen.

He cursed as he searched through the entire lab and didn't find a single television or monitor he could take with him. He was about to leave when he tripped over a cord that had been left. He went crashing to the floor and his cell phone slid under one of the wooden cabinets. With a more colorful curse, he scrambled over to the cabinet and pushed it back. While doing so, he put his hand through the apparently hollowed out cabinet. Cursing his never ending bad luck, he'd retrieved his cell phone, but then his curiosity got the better of him.

He punched his fist through the cabinet and ripped away the artificial covering. He arched a brow as he noticed two things: one, there was an ancient looking computer monitor sitting on the bottom shelf, covered in dust; and two, there was a thick stack of folders and papers stuck inside a zip lock bag. He took the packet of papers and set them beside him. He then reached in and pulled the ancient monitor out. With a heave, he put it on top of the nearest table, not wishing to haul it all over. He picked up the papers and put it beside the monitor before walking out to retrieve the PC he'd found.

When he got back, there was a shadowed figure standing over the monitor he'd found and the stack of papers was in its hands. Quietly, he snuck up behind it and grabbed it. The shadowed figure yelped and spun around. Suddenly, green met gold and both sighed in relief.

"Dammit, Constantine, you scared the living fuck out of me." the black haired youth glared at the golden eyed male, tugging a strand of silver hair.

"Ditto. And what the hell is with you just leaving me in bed this morning, Drake? I woke up all hot and bothered and you weren't even there to comfort me." Drake looked at his young lover with sad eyes.

"Constantine, this morning…I…" he didn't know how to tell his lover there was a good possibility he'd once been female and Orochimaru had altered his genes so extremely he was now a male. He decided to wait and read through Orochimaru's research first. "I had a question and called Yamineska. She told me to check out the lab again. I found this stuff." Constantine arched a brow at his golden eyed lover, but said nothing.

"Alright, so…what is it?" Drake chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm not sure just yet. I was about to find out." Constantine nodded and went back to the papers while Drake was setting up the monitor and PC. Constantine's eyes widened as he read.

"Hey Drake…come look at this…" he murmured and held up a sketch that was behind some scientific mumbo jumbo. Drake spared at look at his lover, but did a double take when he noticed something familiar about the sketch.

"Hey, isn't that…" Constantine was nodding as he put the sketch on the table between them.

"Yeah…that's Sakura's lover..." they both looked down at the sketch of a red headed boy with dark circles around his eyes and the 'love' kanji tattooed on his forehead.

* * *

Sakura was frantic as she paced in her living room. She was a horrible mother, leaving her son unprotected like that. She was berating herself both mentally and physically, occasionally slapping herself on the forehead. She could hear Gaara's dogs whining as they sat at her feet. She was about to start on another path of pacing when Gaara appeared in front of her, Tomi in his arms. She let out a small cry and rushed over to him, pulling her child into her arms. She let out a small sob and held him against her chest, rejoicing he was alright. She looked up at Gaara with tears in her eyes.

"They got too close to him…I can't bear the thought of them being near him, knowing they helped that monster escape." she heard her lover growl and then pull them both into his arms.

"He won't touch you…I won't allow it." Sakura looked up and noticed Gaara's eyes were gold and black. Her expression contorted to one of confusion.

"Gaara-kun…what's wrong with your eyes?" She noticed him close his eyes and take a deep breath. When he opened them again, his eyes were back to their normal jade color. He put his hands on her hips and rested his forehead against hers.

"You remember what I told you about what my father did to me?" he said in an almost breathless voice. She nodded and held Tomi to her tightly. He nuzzled her gently. "The demon inside me…he's still here, even if he's restrained inside my mind. I've learned to suppress him for the most part but…" she noticed him open his eyes and look at her and Tomi.

"But what, Gaara-kun?" he growled and wrapped his arms more tightly around her, making sure that Tomi was pressed between them.

"But when you or Tomi are in danger, he rises within me with the primal urge to protect. I can't help it…the thought of someone hurting either of you…it makes me want to kill them…" he whispered to her softly. She gasped and looked up at him. He was so serious…did he really care about them _that_ much?

"Oh, Gaara-kun…" she reached up and cupped his face in her hand. He turned his face into her hand and kissed her palm. She pulled him towards her and urged him to look at her. When he did, she kissed him gently. He responded to her, kissing her back eagerly. He'd had a taste of her and now he was addicted. However, a slight whine from the child between them had his passion doused and he looked down at the boy with a primal growl.

His mind made up, Gaara picked her up and carried both of them to the bedroom he shared with Sakura. He ripped back the covers before laying both of them in the bed. He climbed in, making sure that Tomi was between both of them before pulling her tightly to him. He kissed her again before he reached down and kissed the little red headed boy on the top of the head. He growled in satisfaction when the little boy murmured 'daddy' and snuggled closer to him.

* * *

Hidan opened his eyes and noticed two things: one, Kit was not in bed with him, and two, he was intensely aroused. His eyes searching out his young lover, he noticed the sound of water. Following the sound, he stuck his head into the bathroom he shared with her and felt himself harden at what he saw. From the opaque glass, he could see her silhouette reaching up to the showerhead, funneling water towards her. With predatory interest, Hidan stalked over to the shower. He slipped in behind her quietly and watched her for a few minutes. Her skin was slightly pink from the hot water.

Her hair, which she'd changed yet again, hung down past her waist in long black and red waves. He could see the black number '13' on her wrist and he growled low in his throat. He noticed her look at him over her shoulder, her eyes that vibrant orange he'd come to associate with arousal. He smirked and took a step towards her as she leaned back against him. He nuzzled the side of her face as she mewled in pleasure at his hands rubbing all over her. With another growl, he slightly bent her over and entered her. He purred deep in his throat as they made love in the shower. The last coherent thought in Hidan's mind was that he hoped that, by some miracle, she didn't get pregnant quite yet.

* * *

Dark, stormy purple eyes opened and stared around. They landed on a clock that read '8:45 pm' in glowing red. Lifting slightly, those same eyes narrowed as something crept around the sliding glass door of the room she shared with her mate. Growling slightly, the female with those deep, dark purple eyes slid out of bed with predatory grace. She noticed the creeping something, now looking more and more like some kind of humanoid figure, stood on hind legs, seeking entrance to the room. A feral growl, just loud enough to be a warning, had the figure stopping. It also had Kankuro stirring.

"Miranda?" he sleepily sought her out. She backed up so that his hand landed on her lower back. She heard him sigh and then go back to sleep. The figure outside the room looked up and Miranda saw glowing yellow eyes. With a snarl, Miranda launched herself at the figure, breaking through the glass. Ignoring the cuts she received, she wrestled the other creature to the ground. Her clawed hand on the other creature's throat, she heard a gasped denial.

"Wait!" Miranda's mind still in primal mode, the human word from the creature's mouth made her freeze. Staring down at the creature, she heard Kankuro yelling, trying to figure out what was going on. The lights on the outside of the house suddenly came on and Kankuro was out in the yard, along with Temari and Tenten. Miranda growled as the creature below her stared with feral interest at Kankuro.

"Stop staring at my mate." Miranda hissed and tightened her hand on the creature's throat. The creature gasped and nodded, pulling at Miranda's hand.

"P-please…I have to find the others." The creature gasped out. Miranda let go slightly and narrowed her eyes on the creature below her. She loosened her grip more and shifted to get a good look at the other creature in the light from the house. She gasped as she saw bright gold eyes with odd red markings in them. The next thing she noticed was that this creature was female, though slightly androgynous, but female regardless. She had wild black-brown hair that didn't look like it had ever seen a brush and Miranda noticed oddly long and sharp teeth. Her scent was also weird. She smelled like some kind of big cat.

"What are you?" Miranda asked in a cold tone. The girl gulped and shook her head.

"I…I'm not sure. I woke up four days ago hooked to some kind of machine. I managed to get away from the people in the lab coats, but then I found myself in the middle of a desert. Only one thought was going through my mind the whole time…I had to find the others." Miranda noticed both Kankuro and Temari stiffen and look at one another. She looked back at the two, who seemed troubled.

"She's from Suna. I can smell the old lab on her." Temari said in a quiet voice. Miranda arched a brow.

"Excuse me? Did you just say you can 'smell' something on her?" Temari turned away from Miranda, her eyes sad. Kankuro nodded and walked over to Miranda, putting his hands on her to calm her.

"Tenten, I need you to go inside and call Naruto. We need him here, along with Hinata. See if Neji can bring her over." Tenten nodded and ran towards the house. When she was gone, Kankuro looked back at Miranda.

"You sensed something was different about our brother, right?" Miranda knew there was something different about the three siblings, though the brunette girl she didn't know much about. She nodded and watched Kankuro. He closed his eyes and suddenly, there were purple and yellow markings all over his face. Miranda jumped as she stared at him. The female below her let out a yelp.

"It's you! It's really you!" Miranda noticed the female try and hug Kankuro, but the male stepped away from her and growled.

"You are not my mate." He growled, his glowing red eyes holding no hint of the human she'd thought she'd found herself mated to. Miranda noticed the little female take a step back and look at him with shocked eyes. Kankuro walked over to Miranda and looked her in the eyes.

"When I was a child, my father took me into a lab and ran experiments on me. He turned me into this creature you see before you." His voice was soft and sad. She looked up at him and then pressed her still naked form to him. She purred at him, her markings appearing on her forehead. His appeared as well, only they seemed warped now. There was a long black tail on the red dot now, making it look like eyeliner on an eye. They looked at one another for a second before he leaned down and nuzzled the crook of her neck. She nuzzled him back.

"Kankuro's not the only one that our father experimented on." Miranda looked up and saw Temari holding one arm to her chest. "As the oldest, I was his first experiment." Temari still refused to look up. Miranda just stared as the oldest of the three siblings turned away from her. Miranda noticed her sandy blonde hair was down…the first she'd ever seen it. "My own transformation is much more…grotesque…than that of my brothers. I was the prototype for what was to come." Miranda noticed that Temari's hair suddenly bushed up. When she turned, Miranda noticed there was an eye-patch over her left eye. Her right eye was completely yellow with a big black dot. Miranda had no idea if it was her pupil or her iris. Her face appeared mouse-like, almost like she was a…

"This is my transformed form." Her voice was still gentle, but there was a hint of ancientness about it. Miranda could see there was fur on her, covered up mostly by the ancient looking red and black formal male kimono she wore. On top of her head, slightly hidden by her blonde hair, were two white rounded ears. A scent met Miranda's nose and her pupils dilated.

"You're a weasel." Miranda could see the slim white tail that rested on the ground behind Temari and the sickle that was in her hand, though it looked more like a scythe at this point. Temari nodded.

"My father managed to seal a spirit inside me. The spirit was a weasel beast named Kamatari." When Temari lifted her hand, it was small and reminded Miranda of a weasel's paw. As suddenly as the two siblings had transformed, they were back to their human states. The girl that Miranda had caught was staring.

"Wow…I can't control my transformation like the two of you. I have a hard time getting to my transformed state." She looked like a small child at that moment and Miranda wondered if perhaps her mind wasn't quite right. Suddenly, three new scents met Miranda's nose and she started growling, pulling Kankuro against her in a show of ownership. A blonde head popped around the house and then the blonde youth rushed around the side, a dark headed girl in tow. The third scent stayed with the brunette that lived with Temari and Kankuro. The blonde was breathing heavily as he skidded to a stop by Temari.

"What's going on?" Miranda noticed the blonde boy's nose flaring and knew he was scenting the area. Temari looked at Miranda and then at Naruto.

"Miranda knows what we are, Naruto. She caught this girl sneaking around outside the house. She was looking for 'the others'." Naruto's eyes widened and then he looked at Miranda, who tilted her head towards the androgynous girl. Naruto arched a brow and looked at the girl. He sniffed once and covered his nose.

"Feline." He shook his head and closed his eyes. When he opened them once more, they were red instead of blue. But unlike the others, only his irises changed. Naruto's scent hit Miranda's nose and she sneezed.

"Fox. First weasel and now fox. That's the third member of the canine family I've smelt in the last couple of days." Miranda leaned against Kankuro's shoulder to drown their scents out with his. She noticed Naruto arch his brow at her.

"Weasel? You mean Temari transformed into Kamatari in front of you? And what was the third scent?" Miranda nodded to his first two questions and then pulled away from Kankuro long enough to talk.

"The first scent of the canine family was actually tanuki. I smelled it as soon as I met Kankuro and Temari's brother…the one with red hair." She noticed several nods, but it was the androgynous girl that perked and spoke.

"Gaara-kun is here?" Miranda noticed the hopeful note in the girl's voice and her eyes narrowed on the small, thin female.

"Gaara is here, but he is with his mate and cub." She noticed the shock on the small female's face.

"Gaara-kun has a mate? And a cub? But…but I thought…" Miranda's hackles raised then.

"You just said you woke up four days ago. Stop lying and tell the truth!" Miranda once again had the girl pinned to the floor, her claws at the girl's throat. With fear all over her face, she confessed.

"I was sent to track down the other Suna experiments. I was told to report back once I'd found Shukaku, Kamatari, Ayatsuri, and Kyuubi. I was also told to try and find the seven others, but that those four were the most important…" she cringed as Miranda's clawed hand tightened on the girl's throat.

"And just what is your name, lying little cat?" the girl looked up with scared eyes.

"I…I don't remember my name. When they woke me up...they called me Matsuri." Miranda noticed Temari, Kankuro, and Naruto stiffen and look at one another.

"So…your father's experiments were stored in his lab and later awakened?" Miranda looked at Naruto, who was looking at Temari. The blonde seemed very trouble.

"It would appear so. And whoever is currently searching for us is probably using father's notes to make more experiments. Matsuri was created right before our father was arrested and tried by the Hokage of the Imperial City. Father was a contracted official of the Imperial Army…just like Orochimaru." The girl below Miranda gasped and stared at them. It was Miranda that questioned her.

"What? Does that name sound familiar?" The girl nodded and looked at them.

"That's the man that released me. He's the one that told me to find all of you." Miranda growled menacingly at the girl and then shoved her into the ground and looked over her shoulder at Kankuro. He nodded and headed back to the house. Miranda looked down at the girl, who was holding onto her throat.

"Was there a man with red hair with him?" the girl cocked her head, as if thinking, and then shook her head.

"No. I would have noticed him if he had been there. This Orochimaru was the only one there. He told me where I could report to him at." Miranda nodded and smirked at the girl, who gulped nervously.

"That means we know where he is. This is good." Miranda reached down for the girl and dragged her up. "How many days did he give you to track down the others?" the girl looked at her hands and then held six fingers up, smiling happily.

"This many!" she said proudly. Miranda was sure at that moment the girl was not completely there. She nodded at the girl and patted her on the head. Miranda arched a brow as the girl started purring like a house cat. Perhaps the girl's need to please nature could work in their benefit.

"Very good, Matsuri. How many days has it been so far?" the girl looked back down at her fingers and started backtracking. She held one finger up.

"I have this many days before I have to go back to him." Miranda nodded. One day was all they had to get everything together. Or…Miranda smiled at the girl.

"When you go see that man again, I need you to tell him that you didn't find anyone and that you need more time. Tell him you think you're on the trail of the ones he's looking for." She looked at Miranda wide eyed, slight fear in those eyes.

"But…he might punish me…" she said in a small voice. Miranda knelt down in front of her and looked her in the eyes.

"Matsuri…if he punishes you, you come to me. I will protect you from him, alright?" the girl's eyes widened and she nodded. Miranda looked over at Naruto and Hinata. "Hey, you think that once we get things taken care of, Shizune would take care of this kid?" Both their eyes widened as they looked at Miranda. Over the months they'd all been together, everyone had visited Shizune and wished her well. Naruto could feel tears in his eyes.

"Most definitely." Miranda smiled and looked back down at Matsuri. She held up her finger.

"Hey…you tell that Orochimaru man what I told you, and I'll find you a home, ne?" the girl stared at Miranda with wide eyes.

"Okay." The girl nodded and Miranda patted her head again, getting the same purring as from before. Miranda smirked…this would work out for them after all.

* * *

Kisame sighed as he held his son and had his other arm around Itachi. He looked over at the cross dressed man and wondered if he was comfortable. However, that wasn't his biggest concern. What was important was Itachi's safety. As promised, as soon as they'd gotten off the plane, they were introduced to their Imperial escort, a man named Uri. At first Kisame was wary of the man, who offered to let them stay in his home.

When the thickly accented Imperial soldier told him that he owed Sakura the life of his wife, Kisame felt better. The man told them, as they stood outside his two story town house, that his wife was an art fanatic. Kisame was fine with that…until he met Uri's wife. As soon as they walked in, he cringed at that familiar voice. "Welcome home hunny!" and then the woman bounced out, surprising them all.

Itachi and Kisame stared at her while she stared right back. She stood before them in form fitting blue jeans and a long sleeve loose pink Cashmere top, her once long blond hair cut to just above her shoulders. The hair that had once hung in her eyes was now pulled back in a half pony tail. They stared for a few seconds before Kisame dumbly muttered "Deidara?" Uri instantly stiffened and put himself between his wife and the small family.

However, the blonde laughed nervously and put her hands on her suddenly very cold husband. "I'm sorry, I don't know anyone by that name, yah. My name is Helina, this is my husband Uri, yah." Her voice was accented like her husbands, but not as thickly. Knowing exactly how to oust her, he arched a brow at her.

"Art is eternal." He noticed her nostrils flare as she glared at him. But, surprisingly, she didn't speak. She held onto her husband, who glared at Kisame. He held up his hands at his escort.

"Look, I know that's Deidara, and if she's here, that means Sakura sent her here to keep her safe from Sasori. We're on the run as well." Kisame looked at Itachi, who smiled and took off the dark round glasses. Handing the glasses to Amida, he gently told the boy to take Brandy into the living area so the adults could talk. The little boy looked skeptical, but did as Itachi told him. Itachi straightened and smiled.

"I would say it's nice to see you again, Deidara, but since I no longer have my sight it's a rather bad pun." He said, revealing himself as a man. Uri gasped and stared at the two. Kisame nodded as Deidara stared.

"I-Itachi? I thought Sasori killed you!" Itachi smiled and shook his head.

"He tried to, once he found out that I helped Sakura escape from him." He felt the blonde touch him and he smiled. "I'm glad you've finally realized what kind of man he is Deidara. You were so sweet before he started manipulating you." He heard her murmur and then she put her hand on his arm.

"My name is Helina now, Itachi. I'm married to Uri now and very happy. I'd like to stay that way." Itachi nodded and sat when the blonde prompted him to. He smiled as he shifted in his women's clothing.

"I am dressing as a woman to hide from the man that murdered my family. My brother is in hiding in the states under an assumed identity as well. I am here as Amida's mother and Kisame's wife." There was a blush on Itachi's face as well as Kisame's as both Uri and 'Helina' looked at them. Helina giggled.

"I knew you two loved one another, but going around dressed as his wife…that's so romantic!" Itachi chuckled quietly and called Amida in to them. The little boy came running, Brandy right beside him. Amida climbed up in Itachi's lap and glared at the blonde woman.

"You better not be mean to my mommy." The little boy gave the blonde a petulant look. Both Uri and Deidara looked shocked as they looked at Kisame. He smiled and kissed his son on the head.

"Itachi, why don't you take Amida and Brandy and get them cleaned up for dinner. The boss wants to meet you." Itachi smiled and stood, putting his hands on the harness on Brandy and allowing Amida to help him to the bathroom. Kisame then looked back at Deidara and Uri. "Itachi is almost an exact replica of Amida's mother. I think that might be what made me fall in love with her." Deidara giggled and nodded, her eyes soft as she looked at where Itachi had taken the little boy.

"If Itachi really wants to be your wife, I know some great surgeons. It would be an outwardly change only, but it would give credibility to the story and you'd legally be able to wed him." Deidara looked up at Uri and smiled. "If he's as happy with you as I am with Uri, then I'd love to help." Uri blushed and kissed his wife on the temple.

Kisame shrugged and looked at his watch. If you two wouldn't mind, I would like both of you to come to dinner with us. I have to, since this is a business meeting, but I really don't want to leave Amida and Itachi alone while I deal with the big wigs of my company." Deidara's eyes lit up and she looked at Uri, who nodded. Deidara smiled and jumped up.

"I'll help Itachi look like a beautiful woman!" Kisame chuckled as the blonde ran to where Itachi and Amida had gone. Kisame looked at Uri, who watched his wife affectionately.

"You have no idea how much you've changed her." Kisame said in a light voice. Uri looked at him and shook his head.

"I did not change Helina. She wanted to change. All I did was love her and give her the name she now so proudly wears." Kisame smirked at Uri's humility and shook his head.

"If that's what you wish to believe, go right ahead. But remember, I was a part of the same gang she was for a while. I remember what she was like before and after Sasori's corruption. You're good for her. She's got a lot more self respect because of you." Uri closed his eyes and shrugged.

"She respects herself because she loves herself. I give her love, and she loves me back. That is the only thing there is for us." Kisame nodded and looked at his watch again. He rolled his head around, listening to it crack. Uri looked at him. "You have pain in your neck?" Kisame arched a brow and shook his head.

"No, it's just a habit I picked up in Akatsuki that I was never able to shake. I do it before every meeting now. Kind of like a pre-meeting ritual. Helps me relax any tension that may have built, such as when we were on the plane today." Uri nodded and walked to the kitchen. Kisame followed him. Uri grabbed a beer and offered Kisame one. The corporate man arched a brow at the foreign label and Uri chuckled.

"It's from my home country. I go back one every two years and stock up on things that I love. This is one thing I fear I will never be able to give up. This is my way of relieving stress." Kisame chuckled and nodded, understanding what the other man meant. Giggling caught both their attention and they looked up in time to see Deidara helping Itachi into the kitchen. Itachi was in a long, flowing white skirt made of soft looking material. The shirt he had on was a loose high collared black Cashmere sweater and he had a silver cross hanging down the front. Simple black flat soled shoes covered his feet. His hair was curled around his face in a feminine style and Deidara had put a bit of makeup on him to lend to the feminine look. Kisame gave a low 'wow', causing Itachi to blush slightly.

Uri was also surprised, but it was because Deidara had dressed up too. He stared at his young wife, who had her hair down for the first time in a long time. It was currently hanging down in waves and was styled to frame her face. After they had left Konoha and come to live in the Imperial City together, she'd gone to the nearest beauty shop and had gotten her hair chopped off. She'd also gone to a surgeon and had her implants taken out, since she was no longer a companion and felt she didn't need them anymore. That had taken her down from a D to a B, but Uri was perfectly happy with her size, as long as she was happy. She'd also started wearing more neutral tones when it came to makeup. Like right now, she had on grey eyeliner, bronze eye shadow, and black mascara. She also had a light pink tinting her lips.

Her clothing was much more practical now. Instead of high cut skirts and low cut tops, she wore whatever was comfortable. She seemed more comfortable in the fitted jeans and loose, conservatively cut long sleeved sweaters and shirts than the expensive 'in style' clothes she wore as a companion. Right now, however, she was dressed to please her husband. He'd once told her he thought she had sexy legs. She wore a knee length skirt that had a slit up to mid thigh on both sides, giving glimpses of her legs. She had on a teal colored loose Cashmere long sleeved shirt with a moderate 'V' cut. She also had little black leather kitten heel pumps on her feet.

Her bridal set shown in the light beautifully and he smiled, remembering the tears that had cascaded down her face as he'd proposed to her not long after she'd moved in with him here in the Imperial City. They'd married two weeks after their engagement and been happily married ever since. Many of his fellow officers had goaded him about his hot young wife, but he knew she was faithful to him. She adored him and he adored her and that was all there was to it. Uri looked over at Kisame, who was still trying to pick his jaw up off the floor from seeing Itachi dressed in such fine women's clothing. Uri chuckled and shook his head.

"We should get going, yes?" he asked in his thickly accented voice. Kisame nodded and held his hand out to his son, who pulled Itachi's hand out and put Itachi's hand in his fathers. Amida then took his father's other hand and they walked towards the door. Smiling, Deidara and Uri followed the small family out. Leaning down, Uri kissed his wife and smiled at her. "I love you Helina." He whispered to her. She kissed him gently on the lips and snuggled up to his arm.

"I love you too, Uri." She whispered as she followed Itachi, Kisame, and Amida out the door and to the restaurant where Kisame's company was holding their meeting.

* * *

Kabuto sighed again as he made his way back to the base. Orochimaru wasn't going to be happy. He'd not been able to track either the girl who'd killed the Orochimaru nor had he been able to find Sakura. He looked over at Karin, who seemed preoccupied with something. He touched her and she jumped with a slight squeak. He arched a brow at her and she blushed. "Babe, what's wrong?" he noticed her look at her hands and shake her head. He became really concerned now. "Karin…seriously…what's wrong? You've been really unfocused since we ran across that blonde with the baby and then again with the red head and that kid." She shook her head, saying nothing, but he could see that something was bothering her. He then remembered the longing look on her face when she'd looked at both children. It hit him then that perhaps she wanted a child. He smirked at her and walked closer to her, twining their fingers.

"Could it be that my independent little woman wants a child of her own?" he asked in a seductive voice. She gasped and looked up at him, a blush on her face. So, he'd nailed it right on the head. Karin wanted a baby, but she didn't want to say anything. He chuckled and kissed her on the temple. "Soon, my love. As soon as we fulfill our agreement with Orochimaru, we can get the hell out of here and have all the children you want." He noticed her irritated look and she stopped, causing him to stop as well.

"Kabuto, you know I love you, but are you really that stupid to believe Orochimaru will just let us go?" Kabuto looked shocked at what she'd just said.

"What do you mean?" she shook her head and looked at him with sad eyes.

"Kabuto…without Yamineska, Orochimaru has no way to continue his life. When the marks start to wear off, he'll start aging. You know that. There's no way in hell he'll keep his word knowing that he's going to die when Yamineska's marks wear off. And it's too soon to use the body transfer spell he used when that kid killed him." Kabuto's eyes widened as he realized the truth behind her words. He'd once read Orochimaru's original research back from when Yamineska had first run into the four hundred year old scientist. Orochimaru had been using people with special talents, people like himself and Karin, to try and create an immortality potion. That meant that, if it came down to it, Orochimaru would betray them both to try and prolong his own life.

Kabuto pulled her to him and rubbed his chin on top of her head. "We're going to go back to the lab like there's nothing wrong. I want you to go to our room and pack up everything you value and all my stuff as well. Don't let anyone see what you're doing. We'll slip out tonight, while everyone else is sleeping." He then pulled back and looked down at her with serious eyes. "I won't take the chance of losing you." He noticed tears gather in her eyes and he leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back but then pulled back and looked at him.

"Before we leave, I want you to make up something for that bastard Sasori. I don't like being afraid, but now that bastard scares me." He noticed the anger in her face and he chuckled.

"I have the perfect thing in mind." He put his arm around her and they walked, both smiling, back to the base.

* * *

Sasori rolled over in bed, his dreams turbulent. He could see Sakura standing in the hallway of a house. There was something in her hands…it looked like a knife. It felt like he was walking towards her, but she never got any closer. Suddenly, there was another person there. The person was towering behind Sakura, their eyes glowing bright yellow. A long, in human hand suddenly reached out and gripped him by the throat. He coughed and clawed at the hand. It dragged him closer and he found a young man about five to seven inches taller than he was was standing behind Sakura.

He heard the young man growl and the hand tightened. A light suddenly flickered on and he gasped at what he saw. Sakura was standing there, a knife in one hand, the other on top of the head of a small child with bright emerald green eyes. Those emerald eyes stared up at him with fear and hatred. The child had bright crimson hair, unlike his own deep red locks. The man behind Sakura had a grotesque paw-like arm with purple tattoos all up it. The eye right above the monster arm was black and gold, while the other was a haunting pale jade. Both were ringed in black, kind of like a raccoon. But what shocked him was he hand that same bright crimson hair as the little boy. Sasori struggled, trying to get away.

No one spoke a word, but there was something in their eyes that spoke volumes. They were a family, and he was intruding. This made Sasori crazy with anger and jealousy. Sakura was _his_ woman, she was supposed to have _his_ children. Not the brat of some cheap look-a-like. Sasori reached out to grab Sakura, but suddenly, his hand started disintegrating. He heard Yamineska's voice ringing through his head. _'I will show you what true pain is.' _He tried to scream as he felt that same searing pain once more. He let go of the hand that was threatening to strangle him and gripped his abdomen, where he knew the cursed mark to be. He looked up into Sakura's eyes and understanding went through him. Yamineska had cursed him to feel the same pain Sakura must have felt when he'd raped her, only his pain would last until the curse killed him. That was his punishment for what he'd done to Sakura all those years ago.

With a growl, he struggled more frantically, until Orochimaru's voice drifted through his head. _'The Curse sets in as a sort of disease that slowly kills the body.'_ Looking up at Sakura, he saw her nod and then turn away from him. So…this was his fate. To die by a curse for taking what he wanted? He growled low in his throat. He wasn't giving up, nor would he let this curse just kill him. He struggled more until finally, Sakura, the guy, and the kid disappeared. It felt like he was free falling through a black void. He yelped as he hit bottom and then realized, with a bit of embarrassment, that the 'black void' was the sheets covering his head and the 'bottom' he'd hit was his own bedroom floor at the base.

He threw the sheets off and looked up at the ceiling. It was a rocky structure hidden deep in the forest of Oto National Park, about fifteen to twenty miles outside of Kagure, Konoha's capital city. He'd fixed the generators and they'd been living here ever since Yamineska blew up Orochimaru's lab just outside of Kagure. He lifted his shirt and noticed that not only was the mark Yamineska left on him black, but it seemed to be creeping up his entire body. It was already up just under his right pectoral muscle. He didn't need to look at himself below the waist to know that his 'package' was already infected by this accursed disease. It had also crept down all the way to his left ankle and was just now starting to infest his right knee. Luckily, it hadn't spread any closer to his heart.

Growling, he stood up and lifted his shirt in front of him mirror. He growl seeing the full effects of the curse. "Great…not only am I cursed to die a slow, painful death by this curse, but it's mottling my body and making it look like I was beaten to death as well." He sighed and dropped the hem of his shirt. Noise caught his attention and he stuck his head out the door of his room. He noticed that Orochimaru was back from where ever the hell he'd gone today. He'd been gone when Sasori had woken up at seven this morning. Sasori arched a brow at the man, who had two beings following behind him. Sasori couldn't tell if they were male or female because they were dressed exactly alike and there were no distinguishable curves.

Orochimaru caught sight of him and Sasori could tell he forced a smile. The scientist was under a lot of stress since Yamineska's defect. "Good evening Sasori. I trust that, which you are not feeling well, you are feeling better?" Sasori shrugged and leaned against his doorway.

"I'm going to die in four to six months. What is there for me to complain about?" There was no sarcasm, only inflection and a bit of anger. Orochimaru nodded in understanding.

"Kabuto and I are working on something to help stabilize the disease long enough for you to find whoever Yamineska had heal her brother. I'm sure that with the resources we've recently required, it won't be as hard as I once imagined." Sasori perked at this.

"What kind of resources are we talking about?" Orochimaru held his hand out to the beings walking behind him.

"Meet some of my earlier experiments. Before I started crossing talents with Yamineska and Kimimaru's DNA, I used talents in other experiments with my partner, Sabaku-sama. Like myself, he was once in the employ of the Imperial Army. Unlike myself, he was caught, tried, and executed for his heinous experiments. He even used his own children." There was a sick smirk on the pale man's face. Sasori arched a brow at this.

"What kind of experiments did you do with this guy? Why would he use his own kids? I'm a lot of things, but if I had a child, I certainly wouldn't experiment on it." Orochimaru arched his brow, but said nothing about that comment.

"Mostly tampering with spirits and supernatural beings. Sabaku's eldest child, a young lady, has the spirit of a beast named Kamatari sealed inside her. It was a rather crude procedure considering neither of us had ever tried anything like it. His middle child was a little more successful. We used Noh mask to help in the sealing of the being inside him. It was a rather nasty samurai spirit, one that was called the 'Puppet Master'." Sasori arched a brow…that sounded very familiar. Orochimaru gave an indulgent smile then. "Our two greatest successes were of his youngest child and an orphan we picked up right outside of Kagure. Both boys were around the same age, so it was easy to control one using the other." Sasori was beginning to dislike Orochimaru more and more.

"We used something called the Dead Demon Seal to seal two demon spirits inside the boys. One was known as the Ichibi, Shukaku, a tanuki demon that was much feared in Suna in ancient times. That one was sealed inside Sabaku's youngest son. He was highly unstable and very easily angered as a child. I suspect he's probably in jail by now." Sasori arched a brow and shrugged. He was afraid if he spoke, he'd anger the scientist and the man wouldn't help cure him. "The other was a kitsune spirit name Kyuubi. He was also known as the Nine-tails, which is often mentioned in ancient lore of Kagure." Sasori by now was bored out of his mind. He just wanted to know how all this would help him, but Orochimaru seemed content to reminisce.

"Anyway, we sealed a few more spirits and demons inside children and teenagers before Sabaku was caught and brought up on charges. He didn't rat me out, thankfully, but I heard from some of those present that he'd claimed his work would be continued by others. I kind of dropped those experiments to keep from being discovered. I then started crossing talents with Maeteran DNA to create half breeds, like the ones from my other lab." Sasori really wished the old gas bag would get to the point. One of the beings behind Orochimaru giggled and it drew their attention. However, when they looked at the two neither showed any facial expression beyond a blank stare. Sasori was sure that one of them had read his mind and found amusement.

"So, how are these two behind you supposed to help me lift this curse?" Sasori raised his shirt up and showed his mottled black skin. It made his slightly tan skin look sickly and pale. One of the beings behind Orochimaru leaned forward and looked at the cursed mark. The being, Sasori was thinking it was a girl, reached out and allowed her hand to hover over the mark. When the being spoke, Sasori was surprised at the deep male voice.

"This is a mark set by an old god. Nothing your science can come up with will break this curse. You must seek the guidance of the spirits and beg forgiveness." Sasori arched his brow at the being, which had odd eyes that seemed to glow. Orochimaru growled low in his throat.

"There is nothing science cannot fix. Do not speak again unless you are spoken to." The being bowed, but Sasori was more inclined to believe the androgynous male than Orochimaru at this point. Sasori's eyes lingered on the male before returning to Orochimaru.

"Regardless of whether science can cure me, how the hell are they going to help?" Orochimaru smirked and puffed his chest out proudly.

"They are excellent trackers. I've sent out one of the older experiments…one of the last ones done before Sabaku was taken by the Imperial Army. She can track just about anything. She was merged with the spirit of a minor feline deity that was revered in Suna. I think it was just a demon, but you understand what I mean." Sasori was looking at Orochimaru like he was crazy…perhaps he was. "Either way, we should have a lead on your beloved Sakura and I should be finding out where my new DNA source is; as well as Sabaku's three children and that orphan. I want to see the progress they've made since they weren't contained inside the lab like the others. The Army seized them and turned them over to Sabaku's brother-in-law before I had a chance to contain them." Sasori nodded, understanding that these beings would help him find Sakura, and perhaps even the being that Yamineska had found to cure Kimimaru.

* * *

Malevolent black eyes stared at the computer screen, trying to track down their prey. He found all kinds of newspaper articles about an accident at school causing the death of the youngest Uchiha boy, but that just seemed too convenient. But then again, dying from getting stabbed by another student wasn't exactly an accident…it was competition. He started looking for recent plane tickets bought over the last few weeks…nothing really caught his attention. He looked around for anything suspicious, anything that could help him find out more about one of the Uchiha boys.

A vicious smirk spread across thin lips as a familiar name from Itachi's past popped up: Hoshigaki Kisame. He'd cross referenced the name with a flight agenda and found that he, his son and his wife were being sent to the Imperial City because Kisame was going on business and then they were staying for a family vacation apparently. Digging into Kisame's financial records, he found the man had been making large payments to a local hospital in Kagure. When he tried to hack into the medical files, something strange happened.

A chibi girl with purple hair and eyes popped up on the screen…all his screens. He tried to back out, but it was too late. He watched as the chibi girl shook her head and the words 'You've been a bad boy' popped up in bold black letters on his screen. A vein popped on his head as he thought of what bored nurse or lab tech had developed such a childish anti-hacker prop. Hitting a few keys, he expected his screen to return to normal. However, this time, the same girl appeared, only this time she looked ticked. The words 'Better behave yourself' came up in yellow. Another vein popping on the other side of his head, he tapped a few more keys.

He almost screamed when the same girl popped up again. However, this time the girl was apparently throwing a hissy fit. In big red letters it said 'Tried to warn you'. Suddenly, the chibi girl transformed into what looked like a cross between a dog, a human, and a cat. It started ransacking the box it was in, and then moved onto his LCD, seeming to destroy everything in its path. With a yell, he tried to stop it, but it just kept going. He watched as everything he'd had built up over the years was destroyed in a matter of seconds.

Glaring with unnatural hate, those malevolent black eyes stared at the screen as a list of credits rolled by. He noticed that 'chibi girl model' was called Pack Master, phrases were by someone named Dark Angel, graphics were by a Golden Dragon, and the 'terror-fiend' virus that wrecked his computer was designed and created by a person calling themselves Crimson Blossom. Glaring at the last name, Crimson Blossom, he swore he'd get his revenge. He picked up a dry erase board and scribbled out both Uchiha's names. Forget them…they were nothing to him anymore. This 'Crimson Blossom' would feel the brunt of his wrath now.


	26. Time Is Running Out

**A/N: Sorry it was so late in coming. As usual, I own nothing but the plot (half mine, half Sis's). Enjoy!**

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Chapter 26: Time Is Running Out

Kisame felt the phone vibrate in his pocket. He covertly took it out and read the message. It was from Sarutobi. He'd asked Sakura for the number and had asked the elderly man to dig around and see what he could find that had any connection to the murder of Itachi's family. The old man had readily agreed saying that he 'owed Itachi' for saving Sakura. The message the old man sent said _'Sent email. Check it as soon as you can. There was more than I thought…you need to read it.'_ Shutting the phone and pocketing it as the other representatives from his company stood, he looked over at the private table that his son, Itachi, and their Imperial escorts were sitting. Amida was lying down, his head in Itachi's lap, while the three adults talked.

Bowing respectfully to his hosts, he slipped over to be with them. He covertly asked Uri if there was a place he could check internet where he could print things, and the man arched a brow. Excusing themselves from the two 'women' and the child, Uri took him down the block to an internet café with quarter printing charges. Kisame sat down and logged into his email account. He pulled up the files Sarutobi had sent him and stiffened. He saw crime scene photos, police reports, surveillance footage…pretty much anything and everything. Kisame whistled…Sarutobi was definitely well connected.

Feeding the machine beside him a ten dollar bill, he clicked 'Print All' and waited. He started going through some of the stuff, but a certain article caught his eye. He pulled it to the front and he noticed a child with eerie black eyes. He was holding the hand of a woman, who was standing over a grave. He was looking directly at the camera, his black clothing making him look even paler. The headline read 'Paternity Test Put To A Halt: Premature Death Shakes Uchiha Family'. Arching a brow, he scrolled down and read a bit of the article. From what he could tell, the child was the illegitimate son of the head of the Uchiha Clan, Madara Uchiha. The family had demanded a paternity test, but Madara himself openly denied the boy.

The boy's mother, a secretary at one of the firms owned by the Uchiha Family, claimed Madara had seduced her one late evening at the office, and her son had been the result of that night. However, it was common knowledge she'd had an 'open relationship' with several men. Shaking his head, Kisame scrolled down to another part of the article. There, it said that several of the Uchihas suspected foul play in what they termed the 'premature death' of the family's patriarch, Madara. However, the mother was on a business trip with her new employer and the child had been left with a babysitter.

He scrolled back up to the picture of the child as he stared at the camera. He noticed the child's eyes were blank and emotionless…not something you saw often on children who'd just lost their parent. He tried to read more articles, but he kept thinking about those eyes…those cruel, slightly sadistic eyes. He looked at a few more articles regarding people the Uchihas had crossed, which were a lot, but those eyes kept coming back to him…there was just something about those eyes…

* * *

Drake was having a hard time concentrating after seeing the sketches hidden within the hollowed out cabinet. There'd been a total of thirteen sketches. Nine had been labeled 'Demon' and four had the label 'Spirit'. It was still buzzing around in the back of Drake's mind. What did it mean? What was its significance? He tapped away on the computer, looking for anything that could help him in regards to his lover, who was sitting behind him, reading the files he'd found with the dino-monitor.

He noticed an encrypted file and went to it. He hacked into it and noticed there were numbers. The files were numbered with a letter out beside it. Some had 'D' and others had 'S' with corresponding numbers. He arched a brow and looked down at the number tattooed on his wrist. It was a 6. He clicked on 6-D and suddenly a picture of himself as a child popped up. He stared at it in horror. He read through it, noticed the notes Orochimaru had taken on him and he shook his head. Inside the window with his data, there was another link. He clicked on it and up popped a candid of him with his red eyes. He stared in awe. He started reading the notes out beside the candid.

'_Subject 6-D, known as Drake, is very territorial. He's taken several other males down, some much older and more experienced than himself. He's stronger than anything observed to date. However, he seems to have an unnatural affinity for two other subjects: 9-S and 12-D. 12-D is a young female, so I'd anticipated an interest there. However, the unnatural protectiveness 6-D displays towards 9-S leads me to believe that perhaps 6-D is a potential candidate for a body should I ever need one.'_ Drake stared in horror. Orochimaru had intended to steal his body? He shook his head and clicked on the file with all the numbers. He clicked on 12-D. Miranda's picture popped up. Like his own, there was data and notes. He clicked the link inside hers and was stunned to see Miranda swiping at a camera, fangs bared. He read the notes by her picture.

'_Subject 12-D is more aggressive than I have ever seen. All attempts to alter her DNA and institute the Submissive strain have failed. She's killed three lab techs and injured me. It would be best to test the new serum on her, due to her graphically violent nature.'_ Drake narrowed his eyes on the word 'serum'. Had that been the poison he and Constantine had helped drive from her system? He shook his head and went to the next number-letter sequence mentioned in his file…9-S. He clicked it open and his eyes widened in shock. It was a young Constantine, but he looked very scared in this picture.

He opened the link and noticed Constantine lying on the ground, curled up into a little ball. A second picture was beside it of Constantine with black eyes. He was viciously attacking something, but there was someone lying behind him. Narrowing his eyes, he was shocked to find a younger him. He read the notes out by the two pictures, starting with the one where he was curled up. '_Subject 9-S seems to be suffering withdrawal, though from what I cannot understand. He is not sick, he is not hungry, nor is he injured. However, he seems to be suffering. He lies on the ground in a near comatose heap for days on end, not even moving to eat or drink. I have put many females in with him, but so far the only female he has ever responded to is 12-D, and that is because she exerts her will over him. However…'_ he noticed it stopped and then continued over to the picture of the black eyed Constantine.

'_This is highly unusual. Subject 9-S exhibits traits of both a D and a S. He was bred an S, but he does not submit on command. Rather, he acts like a D and fights. But when faced with either 6-D or 12-D, he submits, though he fights a little when it is 12-D. He has displayed an unwavering loyalty to both 9 and 12-D, even going as far as killing other test subjects to protect them. He is highly unstable and unpredictable. Like 6-D, I have resorted to some older research. Two genetically manufactured beasts, codenamed Deim and Noctus, have been integrated into their personalities. Essentially, they were sealed inside the minds of the two boys. It's a test run, but I think it may hold promise.'_ Drake's lip curled. So…these things inside them had no more say as to what happened than they did. He kind of felt sorry for them. However, he kept reading, wanting to know how badly Orochimaru tampered with Constantine…or himself.

'_It's just as I thought…the beasts protect one another. At first I wondered why, but upon closer examination to the interaction when the two boys are under the beasts' influence, I have determined that Deim is male and Noctus is female.'_ Drake's eyes widened at this. So…the creatures inside them had their own individual genders? Did that mean…he quickly went back to the initial data on Constantine and read over it. There was a copy of a birth certificate…it said Constantine was born male. Drake closed his eyes, thankful that Orochimaru hadn't tampered with Constantine's base gender. He clicked back on the photo window and kept reading.

'_From what I can tell, the two beasts, which I will henceforth call 'demons', have a strange bond. Noctus, though female, will oftentimes try to assert a certain amount of 'male dominance' over Deim. Deim doesn't seem to mind, sometimes even welcomes it, but there is a clear line indicating who is male and who is female in their strange relationship. Perhaps because both are in male carriers that this is so. I will have to do further research into this matter.'_ Drake let out a deep sigh and dropped his head on the table. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his lover looking at him with concerned green eyes. He smiled tiredly and shrugged.

"I think I understand the weird relationship between our inner beasts a little better." Constantine arched a brow, seemingly waiting for answer. Drake chuckled. "Your inner beast is a female 'demon' as Orochimaru coined them named Noctus. Mine is a male named Deim…Day and Night…" he smirked at the bright blush on his lover's face.

"So what does that have to do with what you asked Yamineska this morning?" his green eyes were slightly shadowed with a little hurt. Drake sighed and turned fully around, wrapping his arms around his younger lover.

"Because this morning when I woke up, I smelled something strange; I smelled you go into heat." Drake watched as confusion twisted on his face.

"But only females go into heat…don't they?" Drake nodded and explained.

"I was confused, so I called Yamineska. We don't know much about our Maeteran heritage, so I figured to go straight to the one person who'd know the most. I asked her if it was possible and she told me it was, but with Orochimaru's sick nature, it was possible he'd altered you to suit his own purposes." He said this part quietly, hoping Constantine wouldn't blow up. He noticed his lover turn red faced again.

"In other words, you were afraid that Orochimaru changed me from a girl to a boy." Drake noticed the insecurity in his lover's eyes. "Would that have changed your feelings for me? If I had once been a girl?" Drake smiled and shook his head, putting his hands on the younger man's face.

"Constantine…I was terrified that if you had been altered, and you still had female organs inside you, that I'd get you pregnant and possibly kill you. You have no idea how scared I was…" he kissed the younger man, who sighed and wrapped his arms around Drake's neck. When Drake pulled out, his eyes were tinted red. "I would love you no matter if you were a guy or a girl. I just wanted to be sure that I was not putting your life in danger. If it had turned out you were altered, I would have been more careful with you…used protection…but I would never stop loving you." He kissed his dark angel again and rested his forehead on the smaller males.

"We should be getting back. Miranda might be trying to reach us. Reception out here sucks." Drake noticed the breathlessness of his young lover and smirked. He kissed Constantine lightly on the lips once more and then he shut the computer down. He detached the PC and picked it up. Constantine grabbed the files and both headed to their cars.

* * *

Sasori felt something run up his leg and he hissed in pain. He looked down and noticed that one of the androgynous beings that had been with Orochimaru yesterday was now climbing up from the end of his bed, its hand brushing his naked form as it went. He stared, half in fascination, half in irritation. Suddenly, the beings eyes glowed and before him was Sakura. He gasped and stared at the being. "What sort of witchery is this?" he asked in a breathless voice. He noticed the being cock its head before it pulled back and spoke.

"Lykos spoke the truth when he told you science will not cure what the Maeteran female did to you. You cannot trust science when it comes to curses as ancient as this. Mother Kaijuu never intended for the curse to be healed by regular medical means. Only one with great spiritual purity can remove such a curse. That is something science does not possess." Sasori stared at the being and wondered if it was really a guy or a girl. The being smirked and stretched out over him. "I can be whatever you wish me to be. But that curse will not allow you to function. What a pity." It then stood and walked to the door. Without turning, it spoke again. "If you wish to be rid of that curse, find someone with deep ties to the old ways…with the old magyck. It is the only way." The door closed behind the being as it walked out.

Sasori cursed as pain lanced up from him stomach. He pulled his shirt up and noticed that the blackness had grown up onto his right pectoral a little. He sighed and looked at his ceiling. He really needed to find someone to remove this curse.

* * *

Sakura's eyes fluttered. When they opened, she noticed she was wrapped in someone's arms and that Tomi was right beside her. She sighed happily but almost yelped when she saw the clock. It read '4:14 am'. They'd slept almost all day yesterday! Sighing, she shifted, trying to get more comfortable. Growling made her stop and look over her shoulder. She noticed the still sleeping Gaara shift with Tomi, who was now lying in her arms. She noticed that as she lay on her back, Gaara scooted closer and wrapped himself around her. He put his hand on Tomi's back and settled back down. He had contact with both of them, and that seemed to make him happy.

Reaching up slightly, she set her alarm for 6 and closed her eyes. They had things they had to do tomorrow…school being one of them. She settled down and went back to sleep, thinking of the things they had to do tomorrow and ways that they could prepare for the confrontation with their enemies.

* * *

Kabuto rubbed his face where he'd been slapped. He'd been correct when he'd thought Orochimaru would be really upset. He slipped down the hall to the new lab he and Karin had been working in since they'd arrived. He hurriedly mixed some things from a few vials and then left it, and a short note for Sasori, on the table and then made his way hurriedly to his room, where Karin was supposed to be waiting for him.

He opened the door and looked in to find Karin still packing their bags. He noticed she had their own research data on the bed, packing it up in their things. "Babe, what are you doing? The research isn't important…you are." He said in a quiet voice. She looked up and he gasped. Karin had a bruise under one eye and tears on her face. He rushed to her side and wrapped her up in his arms.

She started crying as he asked her what happened. "I…I was on my way h-here when I ran into S-sasori. He was w-with one of those new experiments. I t-tried to pass them and that's when t-the experiment slapped me for talking t-to Sasori." Kabuto knew full well the beliefs of some of the former Suna experiments. They were stuck in a time where women held their tongues in the presence of men. Growling low in his throat, he gently nuzzled her.

"This gives us even more reason to leave. If Orochimaru finds out, I'll tell him about this and say this is why we left. I will not tolerate this kind of treatment of you." He kissed her gently on the bruise and then bid her hurry and pack their things. He noticed three bags with all their stuff in it, as well as another bag with all their research. He nodded and picked up two of the heavier looking bags, but she pulled one from him. When he looked at her, she blushed and looked down.

"It will go faster if we evenly distribute the weight." He smiled at her and kissed her again, this time passionately.

"You're so smart babe. I promise that once we get out of here, I'll give you those babies you want. I swear it." He noticed her blush more and he chuckled, leaning down and kissing her again. Opening the door, he looked out to see if anyone was out there. When he was certain the coast was clear, he snuck out, Karin's hand in his. They slipped out of the lab undetected and silently stole away into the night.

* * *

Miranda watched the young female that was currently in her care. She'd never seen such a…simple minded child. It was like her body had aged while her mind had remained in a childlike state. Perhaps it had. She'd gone through what the girl was supposed to do several times over now and it was just a matter of time before the girl would strike off and lead them to Orochimaru. Miranda smiled evilly…she would enjoy ripping that monster limb from limb.

She turned to the young female and smiled when she smiled brightly her way. When the girl left, Miranda was going to see Shizune and talk to her about adopting the girl when everything was over. With a sad smile for the older woman, Miranda turned and sought out her mate's warmth. He had, by this time, pulled her to the couch with him and they were both currently snuggled up together.

For a brief second, Miranda wondered what it would be like to carry a child…to carry Kankuro's child. She blushed and shook her head. Regardless of what Gaara said, Tomi was not genetically his child. Sure, they looked a lot alike, but that was because he and Sasori looked a lot alike. However, wanting wouldn't change the fact that it was Sasori's blood flowing through the child's veins and she wasn't sure if they realized or believed that fact. But she wasn't about to tell the demon raccoon that Tomi was not his child. He was borderline homicidal when it came to the boy.

Perhaps that was just his instincts playing a role? Or maybe, on some deep level she couldn't understand, Gaara's own past was dictating how he interacted with the red headed child of his lover. And she was sure they were lovers now. With a soft smile, she leaned back into Kankuro and allowed herself to daydream about what it would be like to carry a child under her heart.


	27. Unexpected Surprises

**A/N: Sorry bout the wait. I'm preparing to graduate college, so it's a little hectic. Sis is graduating as well, so it's a double wammy. Please be patient with us. *Bows somberly***

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Chapter 27: Unexpected Surprises

Orochimaru could feel the sweat building on his brow. It was only three days before he was supposed to renew his symbol with Yamineska or he'd die. He clenched his teeth and shook his head, trying to clear it enough to think. Normally he didn't have this trouble because Kabuto concocted something to numb the pain, but when he'd searched out the young scientist, he'd found everything the boy owned gone.

He'd then searched out Karin to help him find Kabuto and found that her things were gone as well. So, that left him all alone with his experiments and Sasori. He didn't trust Sasori, nor his experiments anymore. They'd been hanging around the red headed gangster's room too much for comfort. And Sasori himself seemed to be looking for something.

His eyes clouded over as pain assailed him. If he were to be attacked now…a noise caught his attention and he looked up in time to see the little female he'd sent after his late partner's children and the orphan. She was smiling, so hopefully she had good news for him. However, her news wasn't what he expected.

"I need a few more days. I've uncovered their scent trail, but they were hiding." He growled and raised his hand, as if to slap her, when something caught his wrist. He looked behind him and found another one of the experiments. It was the small male, short yet stocky, that had been contained beside the small female he protected. His eyes were glowing dangerously.

"You may have helped create us, but you do not understand our ways. You do not touch another male's mate…ever." He squeezed and Orochimaru yelped. This was the first time one of his experiments had ever turned on him. He stared as the male gathered the little female into his arms, glared over his shoulder, and then turned to leave. The little female looked up at him, surprised, as the male leaned down and nuzzled her.

Orochimaru watched in shock as the male suddenly started sniffing her, growled, and then pinned her body to the wall. He sank his teeth into her neck and she yelped before submitting to him. He watched the male move against the tiny female as he kept her pinned to the wall, ensuring her submission. Orochimaru then blushed when the man suddenly shifted and the little female screamed. The motions of their bodies were plain enough as the male moved against the female and his growls were low and dangerous.

The little female seemed to cling to the male that was pushing against her in an animalistic tango. Orochimaru was fascinated by their mating and just watched as they mated against the wall, right in front of him. He watched as the little female, whose head was resting against the wall, her eyes half lidded, started bucking as the male purred against her shoulder where he had her pinned. Not long after the girl's violent bucking, the male was moving his hips in short, quick digs.

Orochimaru could only guess that the mating had been finalized by this reaction, because the male slowly released her shoulder and pulled her into his arms. The little female seemed exhausted and just draped over the male as he carried her out, his arms supporting her rump. Orochimaru was shocked by this. He'd never seen any of his test subjects engage in carnal relations right in front of him before. He found himself fascinated by their interaction and wanted to learn more about them and their mental processes. In order to do that, he'd have to capture the two and dissect them while they were still alive.

That would prove difficult with him being surrounded by enemies. He put his hand to his chin and tried to come up with a strategy to get the male and female back into his presence, a way to subdue them both, and then a way to force their submission to him.

* * *

Sasori watched as one of his new 'friends' came in with a young girl in his arms. He could blatantly see where they were connected and the fact the male had claimed her innocence because there was blood running down the front of his trousers. The small male took the girl past him and to a room, where he heard the door lock. He looked at the others, who watched with amusement. Sasori just arched a brow.

"Malcolm has had feelings for Matsuri for as long as I can remember, but when the lab was up and running, Matsuri had eyes only for the tanuki container, a red headed youth with a foul temper. He was merged with a demon, so there was never a chance she could mate with him. Looks like Malcolm was tired of waiting for her to come to her senses." The sound of a door opening had them both looking behind them at the glowing orange eyes of the male called Malcolm.

"I can hear what you are saying, and it is not true. Yes, I have always had feelings for Matsuri, but I would never have taken her had she not been willing. I had the chance to ask her why she agreed to the mating and she told me she'd finally realized that her place was not by the demon's side, but by mine. It's why I couldn't control myself and took her in front of that man." There was a slight blush on the young man's face and he looked away from them. Sasori was curious now.

"You mean Orochimaru? You took her in front of him?" there was a cautious note in the red head's voice. Since these experiments had showed up, he'd done a little changing…though he'd never admit it to anyone, he liked these people. They were intelligent, yet respectful, and they treated him like an equal, even though he was technically beneath them, according to Orochimaru.

The male blushed again and nodded, scratching the back of his head. "I could not stop myself. When I smelled anothers scent on her, the beast inside rose up and I could not stop until I'd made her mine." Sasori looked at his companion, the tall 'leader' of these experiments named Lykos. Sasori's eyes held worry, something none of them had ever seen before.

"You worry over this development…why?" Sasori tried to be nonchalant, but it came out a little jittery.

"Because that bastard has no concept of humanity. He knows nothing of love or the need for one's other half, in your case a mate. He knows only science and he will do anything to find a way to live forever. I'm sure, even now, that he's devising some way to use what he's seen to further his knowledge of science. He doesn't understand you and he can't control you, so he'll butcher you and then make copies he can control." The two experiments looked at him oddly and then at each other.

"Malcolm, seek out Kamatari. Inform her of our presence and tell her you seek asylum from Orochimaru. She will not refuse you." The smaller male stiffened and looked at Lykos.

"What about you, Mila, and Noi? I'm sure the others will come here once they find our trail. What about all of you?" Lykos shook his head.

"We can't all leave at once. That would give Orochimaru the chance to track us. We have to do it by waves. You and your mate are in immediate danger. You will go first." The smaller male closed his eyes and then nodded. He walked back into his room, the door shutting with a soft whir.

Sasori looked over at Lykos, who was watching the door, though not with his complete attention. "You are like Orochimaru, Sasori." Sasori stiffened and glared at Lykos, who just looked over at him. "But you are not like him at all." This confused the red head. The darker male went on to explain.

"You have done terrible things in your past…things that even you do not realize. You have murdered people, raped women, manipulated events to a terrible outcome…you are evil." Sasori felt it like a blow that Lykos, someone he'd become very fond of the last few days, would say that to him. However, he noticed Lykos look at him with kind eyes.

"And yet you have helped me and my kind since we came here. You have put us before yourself. That is an act of selflessness. When you die, I believe you will be redeemed in some small way." Sasori's eyes widened. Did that mean he would die from this curse? Lykos looked at him sadly, as if he knew the answer to that already. "Only time will tell your fate Sasori. But you will always have our friendship, no matter where you go." Sasori nodded and started walking to his room. Since he'd come to Orochimaru's side, he'd learned a lot about himself he never realized.

He did have the potential to be kind…he'd seen it when dealing with these experiments. Lykos had called his kind 'Aragami' after an ancient myth, and Sasori had been 'kind' to them. But then again, they'd helped him as well. One of the beings, what appeared to be a female, stayed with him at night and kept his mind off the curse. Though his body didn't function in a sexual way any longer, the female still found other ways to stimulate him.

Another whir caught his attention and he looked back to see the male and female, side by side, looking at Lykos. The girl had tears in her eyes. "Lykos…why are you sending us away?" she asked in a small voice, so as not to draw attention. Lykos closed his eyes and then opened them and looked down at the girl.

"Because you are in danger. I will not see more of our kind butchered for 'science'. I have lost a mate and two pups to this 'science'. I will not lose you and Malcolm." The girl nodded sadly and looked at the red head. She gasped and moved behind Malcolm, who started growling at her agitation.

"You are the one they hunt. You are the one they plan to kill. You hurt Gaara-kun's mate…I can still feel the ache in mother wolf…the pain and fear. You are evil." The girl pulled at Malcolm and he looked at the two men apologetically before walking away with his mate. Sasori stared in shock. Sasori looked up at Lykos, who looked down at him with glowing eyes.

"As I said, you have done things you do not realize. What Matsuri has said changes things. If what she says is true, there will be people here to kill you. I will not allow this to happen, but I will not endanger my pack. Noi and I will stay with you. The rest I will send to the Sabaku children. We will confront Orochimaru here, now, while we still have the upper hand and he is still weak." Sasori gaped at Lykos, who turned his head and looked down the hall.

"How will you chose, Sasori? Will you be the evil you are claimed, or will you show the heart I sense in you?" Sasori gasped and turned his head from Lykos, not knowing how to answer the 'Aragami'. When he turned back to speak to him, Lykos was gone. Sasori whipped around, looking for the older man, but he was nowhere in sight. He almost jumped out of his skin when slender, cool arms wrapped around his waist.

"Lykos has gone to ensure the protection of his mate." Sasori looked down and found Noi, his little shape shifting comforter. He arched a brow as she suddenly transformed into the woman he'd fantasized about for years since she'd escaped him. He reached down and touched her lips.

"I thought your kind only had one mate." He said gently. She growled and nipped his fingers lightly.

"Lykos is the oldest of us all. Even the Sabaku children do not beat him out in age. Lykos was one of Sabaku's pets long before the creation of the rest of us. It is said Lykos was born as a product from Orochimaru's experiments. But that is not so." He noticed her form shifting again and then she was in the form of a young woman with black hair and red eyes.

"I wonder why Lykos has anything to do with you. You represent the one thing he hates the most. You have taken a woman against her will on more than one occasion, and yet he tolerates your presence at his side. Lykos himself is the product of a rape…and guess who was her rapist." Noi's form shifted again and Sasori gasped…it was Orochimaru. Noi smiled at Sasori, who suddenly didn't want her arms wrapped around him.

Normally Noi was a comfort, but right now, she was terrifying him. "You are more like Orochimaru than you wish to admit. I have seen your memories, touched your mind so deeply I know all your secrets. Your hatred and anger stemming from the murder of your parents. Self loathing for the things you have done…self hatred for not being the kind of man you really wanted to be for your precious female. You may hide behind a façade of icy indifference, but you have done nothing but try and find the love your parents had." Suddenly, her face closed up and pushed away from him like he'd burnt her. Her eyes were cold as she stared at him.

"Do you not understand that love is not something you can force on someone else? You cannot make someone want you just by telling them they must." She then turned away from him and he noticed a scar on her for the first time. He reached out and grabbed her before ripping away the cloth hiding it. She struggled and even changed forms to try and outpower him, but he knew her secret. He blew lightly against the back of her neck and she gasped before reverting to her original form. He pulled the cloth aside and noticed the horrendous scar reaching from her left shoulder down to the middle of her back.

He stared at her in shock as she looked to the side, unable to look him in the eyes. "You…someone hurt you…" for the first time in his entire life, a rage went through him. A rage that he'd never felt, even when Sakura had been taken from him. He pulled her back against him and held her tightly.

"Who…hurt you?" He demanded in a demonic voice. She refused to meet his eyes until he grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "WHO?" he hissed. She looked at him and tears were in her eyes.

"A man who thought I should belong to him because he wanted me." Sasori released her as if he'd been burned. That scenario sounded all too familiar. He could feel his soul twisting at the thought of someone hurting her. He reached out and pulled her to him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I have made mistakes in my life…I have been a horrible, selfish person. I'm so sorry…" he whispered to her and then kissed her tenderly. She stiffened in surprise. He'd never kissed her unless she was in the form of his lost lover. She stared at him as his eyes closed and he deepened the kiss. She gasped and allowed him to kiss her, feeling warm and safe for the first time in years.

* * *

Sakura jumped as her alarm went off. She looked at the clock, which read six. She reached up and cut it off before looking at the man curled around her. Tomi was snuggled up between her and Gaara, who was sleeping soundly. She almost didn't want to wake them up…almost. With a smile, she started running her finger up and down Gaara's arm. She felt his muscles twitch and then one of his eyes opened.

She was still amazed at the beauty of his eyes. It was amazing that just in November they'd been complete strangers. And now, he was sleeping with her, in her bed, with her son cuddled up between them. She gasped as she felt his fingers dancing over her hip under the covers. His hand smoothed up her side until it was under her top, lazily caressing her breasts. Her breath came a little faster as she stared at him in the eyes as he touched her.

She was startled when Tomi sneezed. She looked down at the little boy, who looked up at her drowsily. "Mommy…" he grumbled and snuggled closer to her. Sakura looked up at Gaara, who watched them with burning eyes. She smiled at Gaara before slipping out of bed, her son in her arms. She looked at him over her shoulder with a smile.

"You take a shower first. I will see to Tomi." She said gently and then walked away. She heard him get up and start walking towards the bathroom, but she also heard him stop suddenly. Before she knew it, he appeared behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her around so her front was pressed to his, Tomi between them. He was growling as he looked over her shoulder.

She gasped when she noticed someone sitting on Tomi's bed, their legs crossed elegantly and a child's head in her lap. She looked up, her eyes glowing bright blue…unnatural blue. Sakura gasped and held her child close to her, afraid. The woman seemed to sense this, because she smiled at Sakura with tender eyes.

"You are a mother, yes? Then you know why I have come to you." She looked down at the child curled next to her and then looked up with pleading eyes.

"I have lost a cub and a mate to Orochimaru. Please…help me." Sakura looked up at Gaara, whose eyes were gold and black. She put her hand on his arm and he looked down at her. His hold on her loosened, but only so much. When she handed him Tomi and walked over to the woman, she felt tendrils of sand stretch between them.

She looked back and noticed a tail of sand leading from him to her and looked down to find it wrapped around her waist. She smiled at him and turned back to the woman. "Why have you come to us?" Sakura asked gently. The woman looked straight at Gaara then.

"My current mate, Lykos, instructed me to take our pup and flee. Orochimaru has awakened us to try and prolong his life once more. Without his Mataeran, he will die." The woman touched the child's head and she stirred. The woman stroked back some hair and the child calmed. Sakura looked at her, still not understanding.

"But why us? Why not seek out Yamineska?" the woman looked at her with sad eyes.

"We are not like your Yamineska. We are not of her people. We are something else…something created in a lab. We are called Aragami, we have adopted the name from a book Lykos read us when we were still young. Your male knows of what I speak, for he was in the same lab for a time. We are the creatures his father created as weapons for the government. We are now in the hands of Orochimaru." Sakura looked back at Gaara, who held Tomi tighter to him.

"Why now? Why seek me out now?" Gaara said in a low tone. The woman looked at the child in her lap.

"Orochimaru has had…disturbing thoughts. We planned on hiding in his new base until we could make our escape, but his has paid unnatural attention to a mated pair under Lykos's protection. His thoughts are sickening for those of us who had to be near him. He understands nothing of humanity, nothing of a family unit. All he cares about is his science and his immortality." She shook her head and looked away. When she looked back at them, her eyes were so sad it made Sakura's heart ache.

"I have watched one of my own children, a baby I carried under my heart, be butchered by a man just like Orochimaru. I will not watch this child suffer the same fate. I will die before I allow it." She stood, the child in her arms now. Sakura watched as she walked to the door.

"I will trouble you no longer. I can see my presence is not welcome here. I will seek someone else to protect my child." She was about to flee when Sakura stood and cried out in denial.

"Where will you go?" she asked, tears in her eyes. The woman looked at them, her eyes sad.

"I will find somewhere and wait for Lykos. I fear I may not survive if he falls." Sakura looked back at Gaara, who stared deep into Sakura's eyes. He saw sadness in Sakura…something he'd never seen before. It was as if she could relate to this woman. Gaara looked down at the little boy in his arms and then at the small child in the arms of the woman. Gaara leveled the woman with a deadly glare.

"We will protect you and your cub, but if something happens to my cub, you will answer for it. My mate and my cub are not to be in danger, is this understood?" Sakura smiled and ran up to him, holding him and whispering thank you into his shoulder. The woman looked at him in shock and then nodded, tears falling from her eyes.

"Thank you." Was all she said as she made her way back to the bed. Sakura looked at Gaara, who nodded and walked out with Tomi. Sakura smiled at the woman and led her to a spare bedroom. She gave the woman spare clothes and showed her where the bathroom was. She even gave the woman a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt for the child.

When she was sure the two were comfortable, she closed the door and went to Gaara and wrapped her arms around his waist. He looked down at her as he threw his towel on the bed, only a little ways from the still sleeping Tomi. He looked down at her and she smiled up at him. She got on her tip toes and kissed him gently on the lips before pulling away and looking at him. "You're a good man, Gaara." Was all she said before she walked around him and to the shower.

* * *

Miranda was livid. There was a male with the small woman from before. A male that smelled like _him_. The scent was oozing from the male's pours and it was setting off every internal alarm she possessed. She could feel Kankuro's arms around her waist and could sense the stiffening in Temari as the two spoke. She noticed the little female was blushing and not looking at them.

Miranda glared up at the male angrily. There was an unspoken threat in her livid eyes and the male seemed to see it, because he pulled the little female closer to his own body and growled dangerously. It was then the little female seemed to realize where she was, because she let out a squeak and looked up at them, a bright blush on her face. "I…I'm sorry…I was zoning out…" she whispered and then looked up at the male who had his arms around her.

"Malcolm…" she said in a tiny voice. Miranda noticed the immediate calm that came over the young man when he looked down at the little female. It was very reminiscent of how she was with Kankuro. Miranda's apprehension and anger drained away as she noticed the love and devotion in the young woman's eyes. This man was the one that would take care of the girl from now on. They would both have to be placed in a home where the person would understand the fact that these two kids were not normal…far from it actually.

Miranda sighed and shook her head before looking over at Temari. "I sense no falsehood in what they say. They are being truthful." Miranda then turned her eyes to the male, who stiffened and pulled his little mate closer to him. Miranda's eyes narrowed on him for a second before she let out what sounded like a small bark.

"Pup, you wouldn't stand a chance." She said before turning away from him and looking over at Temari. "Sister, we need to contact the Tanuki. Things are about to get really complicated." Temari nodded and led the way into the house, followed by the new arrivals. Miranda noticed more and more appearing before the house. She could see at least seven people so far…she wondered where they were all from.

* * *

Kisame was nervous. Not the kind of nervous he got before a big deal was closed. No, this was more of a dreading kind of nervous. It felt like something was going to happen. He looked around him and noticed that there was really nothing out of the ordinary. He, Itachi, and Amida were walking around town like a normal family. Itachi's dog was helping weave through the crowded streets as they were making their way through the open air market.

He'd been rather surprised to learn from Uri that there was an open air market, but it was a pleasant surprise. Now, he was walking through town with the two of them and it felt normal…right. All except for this feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach telling him his little illusion was about to be shattered. With a tired sigh, he looked back at where Amida had Itachi by the hand and they were walking with Brandy.

He smiled at the sight. Itachi naturally fell into the role of the loving, nurturing 'mother' that had been taken from his young son. He also regarded the guards that were escorting them, what with Uri having to report in to his superiors. There was something a little off about the men. They didn't look like the military type and they weren't really the kind of guys he'd have pegged for soldiers.

Again, that uneasy feeling came over him and he decided he didn't like the soldiers. They looked more like…thugs. With another sigh, he pretended to be fed up with shopping and instead wrapped his arm around Itachi's shoulders. He noticed the other man blush slightly but he just smiled. While they were walking, he whispered his suspicions to Itachi, who confirmed he'd felt the same way. Both decided that the best way to handle this was to ditch the two soldiers and make their way back to Uri's house. They waited until the crowd got thicker and then quickly but quietly made their break. Even Amida seemed to understand, because he kept quiet. When they were sure they'd lost the two thug soldiers, they made their way back to Uri's house.

When they got there, they noticed a worried looking Uri standing at the door with his wife, who looked shaken. Kisame stiffened and quickly led Itachi and Amida to the couple and looked at them. "What's wrong?" he asked in a quiet voice. Uri looked at them and relief washed over his face.

"Two of our soldiers were found dead this morning. They were the escort detail I had arranged for you while I was detained. Their uniforms were missing and I was worried about you both." He said in his thick accent. Deidara's blue eyes had tears in them as she looked at them.

"I was so worried something had happened to you…" she sniffled and Uri took her into his arms and kissed her on the head. Itachi crooned at her and walked over with Brandy's help and hugged the distressed blonde. Itachi noticed something felt off about Deidara and gently whispered in the blonde's ear. A gasp came from her and she looked at Itachi in confusion.

"I…I don't know…I don't think so…" Itachi smiled at her and looked over at Uri.

"Helina and I are going to the pharmacy. I have a few things to pick up and a hot tisane would do her nerves good." Uri nodded and looked over at Kisame.

"I think it would be best if just the women went. Less conspicuous if someone is watching for us. I kind of stick out in a crowd." Kisame chuckled and picked his son up and headed inside. Uri took one last look at the two 'women' and sighed, heading inside. Itachi took Deidara's arm as Brandy walked in front of them and led the way.

"Helina, have you been keeping track of your cycle?" he asked in a soft voice. His once deep voice was starting to become higher in pitch since Deidara had given him her birth control. He wanted to pick up some fertility pills, as they would contain large doses of estrogen that would make her sound and look more like a woman. He also wanted to pick up a pregnancy test for Deidara.

"N-not really. Things have been so hectic around the house lately I haven't really had time to map it out." Itachi nodded and then asked in a softer voice.

"When was your last mensus?" he noticed her turn pale and then blush heavily and start counting on her fingers. She gasped and stared at him.

"Three m-months ago…" Itachi smiled at her and patted her hand.

"It's going to be okay dear. This is just to make sure." He noticed the blonde was counting again and then recounting just to be safe. She then made a noise and shook her head.

"I thought I was gaining weight because I stopped worrying about dieting…I never thought…" Itachi giggled, yes giggled, and shook his head.

"You are madly in love with Uri. I'm sure a child will only make things better between you." He noticed her nervous giggle.

"B-but I was told I c-can't get pregnant. I only t-took the birth control so that Uri wouldn't f-find out I was barren." Her voice was slightly panicked and it made Itachi smile.

"Let's just take deep breaths dear." Deidara nodded and started breathing. She found herself much calmer as they walked into the pharmacy. Itachi stood there as Deidara picked up a box and handed it to him. He smiled and then softly told her what he needed for the tisane and what he'd come here to get personally. They went up to the counter and Deidara noticed the strange look the clerk gave them.

Fertility pills, prenatal vitamins, and a pregnancy test…yup that was a recipe for disaster. Deidara blushed and looked over at Itachi, who was smiling gently. The blonde had to admit, if she hadn't known that Itachi was a man under it all, she'd swear up and down the blind man was really a woman. She smiled at Itachi and then laid a bill on the counter and waited for change.

When they were done, both of them turned and walked out of the store…right into two men in black suits. Brandy was growling, something she never did. Itachi turned his blind eyes up to the men and cocked his head. When he spoke, it was in a very soothing feminine tone. "Can we help you gentlemen?" Even Deidara was surprised by Itachi's voice, but she didn't express it. She merely looked up at the men, slightly frightened. One of the men reached for her bag and looked inside. He noticed herbs for the tisane, prenatal vitamins and a pregnancy test.

He blushed and looked at the two and noticed both were wearing wedding bands. He said nothing, just handed the bag back to Deidara and the two men walked away. Deidara grabbed Itachi's hand and sniffled. "What do you think they wanted?" she asked in a quavering voice. Itachi patted her hand and smiled gently.

"They were probably security dear, no need to worry." Itachi knew the men were still there because Brandy hadn't stopped growling yet. He led her back towards her home, Brandy leading. Occasionally, Brandy would bark and growl a little. The dog was letting them know they were being followed. Itachi smiled and tilted his head towards Deidara.

"Helina, what do you think Uri will say when he finds out about the baby?" he noticed her stiffen and she opened the bag, her eyes widening.

"I can't take this at home! Uri will find it and I'm not ready for him to find out when I don't even know yet!" she panicked. Itachi nodded and they headed to a small café. Itachi stopped a waiter and smiled at him.

"I need a kettle of hot water taken to a table for two. My dog, Brandy, will sit with it until my sister and I come back." The waiter noticed Deidara's frantic look and nodded. It was obvious the young woman was distressed.

The two walked into the bathroom and Deidara went into the stall and read the directions of the test and then used it. She walked out to wash her hands, sitting the test on a paper towel on the counter. She turned on the water and took two handfuls and splashed her face. She'd taken to not wearing makeup unless she went out somewhere fancy with Uri. She grabbed a few paper towels and patted her face dry and then she dried her hands.

She stared at the test and then looked over at Itachi. She turned her back and pressed her forehead against the cool tile. She felt Itachi's hand on her shoulder after what seemed like forever. She looked at him and he smiled. "It's been five minutes." Deidara bit her lip and turned around and walked up to the test. She picked it up and nearly fell. It was positive.


	28. Second Move: Checkmate

**A/N: Le'gasp! Another chapter without waiting for 6 months!? yeah yeah, I skipped class to finish this...feel special. Lol.**

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Chapter 28: Second Move: Checkmate

"P-P-Positive?" Deidara could barely stand. The test had come back positive…she was pregnant with Uri's baby. All kinds of emotions went through her at the thought of her carrying a child, especially the child of the man she loved so much. Her hand started shaking and she suddenly turned to Itachi and hugged him around the neck, the dam bursting as she started bawling.

"Helina, do not be frightened. Having a baby is wonderful." She rubbed the blonde's back and held her closely. Several women came in, gave them a curious look, and Itachi held up the pregnancy test. The women nodded and backed out slowly, leaving them alone. Itachi pushed her away slightly and made her look into his blind eyes.

"Sweetie, you worry for no reason. This is a wondrous thing. You should be happy!" Deidara finally calmed down enough to talk to her close friend.

"I am! I'm so happy! I never thought I'd have a baby, not after what the doctors told me! I'm so happy to be having Uri's baby!" she cried harder and rested her head against Itachi's shoulder. He smiled and rubbed her back, just holding her. When she was calm enough, they helped each other out of the bathroom and over to their table, where Brandy was sitting obediently. Itachi could hear her still growling and he patted her head as he sat in his chair.

"It's alright girl. She's just really happy right now." Itachi knew that Brandy wasn't growling because it was obvious Deidara had been crying. She was growling because someone was still following them. With a smile Itachi took the pharmacy bag and took out the herbs for the tisane. With a smile and gentle voice, she ordered two cups of tea and poured the herbs into the one she handed Deidara.

"Drink this, dear. It will help with your nerves and it's completely safe for the baby." He noticed Deidara blush and he smiled at her. "It's a good thing I picked up those prenatal vitamins for you. I think Uri will confine you to the house once he finds out." He giggled in a girly way, even going as far as putting his finger to his bottom lip. Deidara blushed more and smiled happily, rubbing her hand on her stomach.

"He's going to be so excited. He's been talking more and more about us starting a family. I can give him that family." Tears were shining in her eyes as she looked up at Itachi. "You're the best sister I could ever ask for!" Deidara sniffled and took Itachi's hand in hers and squeezed. He was shocked but then he smiled gently at her.

"I will always be here for my little sister." He said in the feminine voice. They smiled at one another and suddenly Brandy stopped growling and lay down contently by Itachi. He looked down at her and knew that whoever had been following them was gone. Now they could really enjoy their tea.

* * *

Sakura looked at Tomi in the back seat of her car. He was still sleeping and Gaara was driving to the café. It had been a weird couple of weeks. Sakura looked over at Gaara, who was watching the road, making sure to obey all the traffic laws since their son was asleep in the back. Sakura couldn't help but smile at how good of a father he was. She looked back at the road and sighed, leaning back in her seat. They were going to the café, where Sakura would work her normal morning shift, and then they would head to school, dropping Tomi off at Gaara's old place on the way.

Miranda and the two men with her had decided that, with all the influx of people coming to their house, it was safer to stay there. When Gaara had raised the question of one of the newcomers trying to hurt Tomi, Miranda's eyes had glowed dangerously as she'd told him that Tomi was Sakura's child, making him part of Miranda's pack. Miranda protected her pack viciously. Sakura had nodded, stating it was the truth.

Gaara had agreed reluctantly, but they didn't have much of a choice since most of them had to go to school. His one say in the deal was that Kit also be there to protect Tomi. Miranda had gracefully accepted considering that, through Kankuro, Kit was now a part of Miranda's pack as well. It had been enough for Gaara. The woman that had come to them, Mila, was hiding in the spare bedroom of Sakura's house. Mila had assured them that she and her cub would be safe and for them not to worry.

As they pulled up to the café, something seemed off. Getting out, she told Gaara to stay in the car with Tomi. She quietly made her way into the shop's back entrance and crept to the front, looking around carefully. She didn't see anything, so when she turned back around, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she found Sarutobi looking at her oddly.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" she put her hand on her chest and let out a sigh.

"I felt something. It's gone now, but I was worried so I came in to check." He nodded and smiled at her. She put on her apron and they got to work, after Sakura called Gaara and told him it was all clear. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

* * *

Orochimaru was confused. He couldn't seem to find anyone around the compound at all. Even Lykos was strangely absent. He walked into the lab where all his old files were and noticed a syringe on the counter. He walked over to it and there was a note on it. He picked it up and started reading. "Sasori, this will help with the pain the curse causes. All it really does it dull the pain, so be careful and only use it when you can't stand the pain anymore. –Kabuto." Arching his brow, he looked around before crumpling the note up and sticking the syringe in his pocket.

He was walking down the hall when he came across the androgynous experiment called Noi. He smiled at her and he noticed her bare her fangs at him. His smile quickly turned into a frown as she took off down the hall away from him. He followed at a sedate pace. He was surprised when he found she'd led him to a very dark, unused part of the compound. He also wasn't prepared when she turned on him, her eyes glowing with hatred.

She'd tagged him and scuttled away before he even realized what was going on. He reached up and felt blood leaking from a large slash on his chest. He glared up at her and hissed in irritation. "You dare attack your own creator?" he hissed at her. She hissed back and suddenly melted into the shadows. He was ready for her the next time she came at him, claws stretched out at him as she half transformed. He grabbed her and used her momentum to slam her into the wall. He staggeringly made his way away from her and then pulled out some strange weapon. It looked like half gun, half sword. He lined her up in his sights and gave an evil smirk.

"This will teach you." He hissed and fired the weapon. The loud bang resounded through the room. Orochimaru's smile disappeared when he noticed Sasori standing between them, a large red spot forming at his shoulder. Sasori's red eyes were wide with shock and pain as he fell back into the little female's arms. She screamed and went to him, cradling his head in her lap Too pained to care about the cursed man, he turned and made his way back to where he'd originally been heading…he had preparations to make for the guest he'd be receiving very soon.

* * *

Miranda noticed how the sudden influx of refugees stopped. It bothered her slightly that it just suddenly…cut off. Like the trickle of a faucet suddenly being shut off. She lifted her head as she patrolled. Sakura was set to get here with Tomi any minute. Kit and the others were here, waiting. Drake and Constantine were taking care of the latest batch of Orochimaru's victims.

She was just about to turn around and go back inside when the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She bristled and flashed her fangs angrily, confused why her instincts were on high alert so suddenly. She felt blinding pain go through her and she howled in agony. She whirled around, looking for an enemy, but there was no one around. It then struck her that it was not her pain she was feeling, it was her mate's.

That thought was followed by a pained yell from her lover, followed by something crashing out the window of the second floor. She looked up and found a male running from the house, something tucked under his arm. Going into killing mode, she raced after the creature, her own powers seemingly much greater than the males. She caught up easily and grabbed him, her hand driving his skull into the ground. She noticed Kit, unconscious, was lying on the ground beside the male. She was about to pick the girl up and return to the house when the male grabbed her hand and jerked up.

Glowing green eyes met her, as well as flesh falling from metal. She stared at the creature, wide eyed. It wasn't one of the experiments at all…it was a machine! With as much strength as she dared to use, she tackled the robot and started beating it upside its metal head. It thrashed, trying to throw her off, but she drove clawed hands down against its mechanical neck and separated the head from the body. The machine beeped once before the eyes dimmed and it stopped moving.

She was met in the back yard by Hidan, Gaara, and Sakura. The former of which was breathing heavily. They were about to demand an explanation when a child's cry had Sakura whirling around. Even from this distance they could see the car door open, the seat where Tomi had been was now empty. Sakura screamed and ran to the car, looking frantically for her son. Gaara was there too, his eyes flying over the car and the ground around the car, looking for some kind of clue.

He dropped to his knees in front of the car where his son had been and gently touched the stuffed raccoon that had been left behind. Something went through him and he threw his head back and let out a roar filled with pain, sadness and anger. Sakura's wails added to the eeriness of the sound as it floated through the air on the breeze.

* * *

Lykos shivered as something went through him. Something bad was going to happen and there was nothing he would be able to do to stop it. He sighed and looked around. The base was now almost completely empty. Everyone but he, Noi, Sasori, and Orochimaru were now in a safe place, away from the mad scientist. He slowly made his way to the lab, where he was sure Orochimaru would be.

When he got there, he noticed the man was lying on one of the steel tables, staring up at the light. Lykos cocked his head to the side, wondering what was going on. "Have you come to kill me too…my son?" Lykos felt bile rise in his throat. This was how it was every time this man called him 'son'. He ignored the man and let the words sink in. Someone had tried to kill him?

"Who had tried to kill you? It was not on my orders, if that is what you were getting at." He said and then walked in a little further. He looked around and noticed most of the lab equipment was destroyed. He arched a brow at Orochimaru, but said nothing. The scientist laughed slightly before going into a coughing fit. "Looks like…this is as…far as I go…" the man said in a hissing voice. Those golden eyes turned to Lykos, who was slightly surprised.

"But if I am to die, I will not go alone." He said and then raised the gun/sword weapon and pointed it right at Lykos. Lykos's eyes widened and he took a step back. Another loud bang made Lykos close his eyes. When he noticed Orochimaru's choked laugh, he opened his eyes. Standing in front of him was Noi. He could see the tears in her eyes as she reached down and touched the blood that was pumping out of her chest.

There was a gaping hole in her chest where Orochimaru had shot her. She was smiling, the first real smile Lykos had seen on her since Dr. Sabaku had scarred her. "L-Lykos…" she whispered before falling to the ground. Gasping, he dropped to his knees before her.

"Noi, hold on Noi! We can heal this…Mila can…" He cried out and tried to stop the bleeding. He heard her chuckle and tears were falling from the corners of her eyes. There was blood oozing from her nose and her mouth.

"Such loyalty…too bad it's wasted on you…" Orochimaru hissed and pulled up his gun to shoot once more. He was stopped when Sasori ran at him, a knife in his hand. Orochimaru pulled up the gun barrel and stabbed right into Sasori's stomach with the sword part of the weapon. Orochimaru smirked as the man cried out in pain.

"I've…wanted to do that for…a long time." Orochimaru sneered at the red head. His smirk dropped when Sasori put his hands on Orochimaru's shoulders and pulled himself closer, blood coming from his nose and coloring the smile on his face. Orochimaru just stared in shock.

"And I…have wanted to do this…" the red head rasped before he pulled his knife up and plunged it into Orochimaru's eye. The man screamed and let go of his weapon, backing away from the red head, who stumbled over to Noi, who was now gasping for breath. He did bother trying to remove the sword; it was probably keeping him from bleeding out faster. Instead, he laid himself at her side and looked her in the eyes, a smile on his face.

"We will be together forever…Noi…" he whispered as the life slowly left his eyes. Lykos watched as tears fell from Noi's eyes and she looked up at him.

"Go to…Mila…" she said and then looked at Sasori. She put her hand on his cheek and smiled. "We will be…together forever…Sasori…" Lykos watched the life slip from Noi's red eyes and he felt great loss at her death. He looked up, intent on killing Orochimaru, only to find the scientist gone. He was about to go hunting when he felt an immense killing intent descend on the compound. The image of fangs and insane, demonic eyes had Lykos crouching down and baring his fangs.

With one last look at Noi and Sasori's bodies, Lykos disappeared, going to Mila as Noi had instructed him. Both Sasori and Noi had given their lives to protect him and he wasn't going to waste their sacrifices.

* * *

Demonic black/gold eyes were searching every nook and cranny of the underground facility they'd managed to track Tomi's kidnapper to. There were five of them total…him, his mate, Miranda's two 'brothers', and Kyuubi. He was sure others would arrive as backup, but right now, his cub was in danger and he was hell bent on finding his boy. He cocked his head to the side, listening carefully for any sign of his cub.

A muffled whimper was followed by silence, but it was enough. With fangs bared, he took off towards where the sound had come from. He came to a room shrouded in shadow. He looked around, his eyes adjusting more slowly to the change in light than he liked. It wasn't natural, tanukis were nocturnal creatures, and thus his eyes should have adjusted faster.

Sudden, deep panic hit him as his instincts screamed for him to get out of there. He turned just in time to see solid steel doors shutting him into the darkness. He whirled around, searching for another way out. The darkness seemed to be closing in on him and he suddenly couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't move. He dropped to his knees and fought against whatever it was that was making him feel like this, but it was too late…he'd already walked right into a trap.

* * *

Sakura's eyes were not that of a teenage girl in the final year of high school. They weren't even that of the gentle mother people had known her to be. No, her eyes were those of a cold blooded killer…instinct driven and vicious. She could sense Shukaku, Kyuubi, and the two others inside the compound. Lifting her nose, she scented the stale air. The scent of blood was heavy and she followed it. She skidded to a halt and her blank emerald eyes widened and returned with vibrant life as she came across the mangled bodies of her lifelong terror, Sasori, and a young woman with black hair.

Turning away, she ran from the room, unable to bear seeing this, even if he'd hurt her. She could see his face, over and over in her mind. He was looking at the girl lying next to him, a soft smile on his face. His hand was on her cheek, gently caressing it. It was almost like he'd loved that girl. She shook her head and tried to concentrate once more. With a sigh she walked slowly through the compound. A noise caught her attention and she pulled up her weapon of choice, a pair of Sais. She heard chuckling coming from across the darkened room. She stiffened as he slowly came into sight.

"So…you are the ever elusive and reluctant lover of that repulsive worm, Sasori." The hissing voice of a man she'd never seen before hit her ears like nails on a chalk board. She curled her lip at him, her eyes glowing dangerously.

"He is nothing to me. Get out of my way or I will kill you as well." She growled at him and took a swipe at him. She could smell the salt from his sweat and the stench of death that clung to him. She arched a brow and stood straight, looking at him.

"You're dying." She stated and noticed his features scrunch into that of anger. She nodded and closed her eyes. "You must be Orochimaru." She stated again in that no nonsense tone. She heard him growl and she opened her eyes with a smirk.

"Yamineska says hello." She said before disappearing. He clenched his teeth and started making his way deeper into the underground compound. Only one thought crossed his mind…how had they found him?


	29. What Lies Beneath

**A/N: O: OMG, another chapter XD...I'm on a freaking role. Might even finish this story sometime soon!**

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Chapter 29: What Lies Beneath

Kisame was staring at Itachi in utter shock. Uri was also staring, but not _at_ someone…more like he was staring off into space. Deidara's face was burning bright red as she sat beside her shocked husband, her hand on his knee. When they'd gotten home from the café, both men had been pacing worriedly. Itachi had, in his woman voice, reproached them for being worry warts. He'd then demanded they move aside so that the slight chill and stress of the day didn't harm Deidara's baby.

That is what had landed them here, in the living room, as both Deidara and Itachi explained what had happened. They didn't leave a single detail out, not even the part where the men had stopped them and looked in their bag. Itachi had even told them that Brandy had growled the entire time until the people who'd been following them went away. Now, the fact that Deidara was pregnant was finally sinking into the brains of both men and Uri was…he looked blown away as he stared out into space, his mouth slightly open.

Deidara tugged on his hand, trying to rouse him from his stupor. He jerked slightly and looked over at her and noticed the fear, adoration, happiness and love in her face and he smiled gently at her. He reached over to her and cupped her face gently in his hand and kissed her tenderly. The dam she'd built to hold in her emotions suddenly broke and she kissed him back, tears streaming down her face. Itachi smiled and stood, putting her hand on Amida's head.

"Come, little one, time for bed." Amida smiled and nodded, taking his 'mommy' by the hand and walking up the stairs, Kisame close behind. Kisame watched Itachi move up the stairs and arched a brow. Were Itachi's hips broader than they'd been when they'd come here? Shaking his head at his own imagination, he followed his blind lover and his son into the room they were sharing. Itachi helped Amida get ready for bed and settled him onto one side.

All three of them slept in the same bed, Amida curled up in Itachi's arms. Itachi, in turned, usually curled up in Kisame's arms and they slept like that…a happy family. As Kisame made his way to the bathroom, Itachi's hand on his wrist, he went and sat on the toilet, watching the younger man get ready for bed. Itachi had taken to wearing women's clothing all the time, not just when they were out. It fed Amida's hunger for a mother figure, since Itachi looked so much like his dead mother to begin with.

Kisame watched the blind man pull the high heeled boots off first, then the skirt. The older man arched a brow as he noticed that, indeed, Itachi's hips were wider than when they'd first left. He arched a brow and looked up at the other man, who had his eyes closed. He was humming a soft tune and, had Kisame known Itachi was a man, he'd have thought a woman was singing. He leaned back against the toilet and watched as Itachi undressed. Again, he was caught off guard when he noticed the slight development of what looked to be breasts.

He sat up and looked closer and, as he'd thought, there were breasts on Itachi's chest. Slipping his sleeveless women's gown over his head, he started brushing his hair out and continued humming. When he was done, he whistled and Brandy came into the bathroom. "Don't take too long, Kisame. Amida will already be asleep if you do." Itachi said in that soft voice of his. Kisame just stared as the dog led the other man out. Itachi was slowly…changing into a woman?

Shaking his head, he reached out and took his tooth brush and brushed his teeth. He then changed into his long black lounging pants and stood in the frame of the door, watching Itachi interact with Amida. The little boy was curled up against Itachi as the young black haired man read a Brail book to him. That was one of the many things they'd found in the capital city. Brail children's books that Itachi could read to Amida.

With a smile, Kisame made his way over to the bed and slipped in beside Itachi and watched Amida. Amida looked so happy that it made Kisame feel like he'd finally done something right. He got to thinking about his deceased wife and how much Itachi looked like her and how easily Amida had adopted the man as his mother. Amida didn't seem to even realize that Itachi was a man. And from the way Itachi's body was changing, it seemed the young man was encouraging Amida to think of him as a woman.

Looking at them one more time, he smiled and shook his head. Perhaps in his depression at having lost his mother, he merely pretended that she'd never died, but that she'd gone blind instead and that Itachi _really was_ his mother. Either way, it was for the best. He had no intention of letting Itachi leave him again…ever. With a sigh he leaned over and kissed Itachi's shoulder. "Time for bed you two. We have a long day tomorrow." Itachi smiled and closed the book, letting Amida gently take it from him and put it on the nightstand.

Amida stood up on the bed and hugged his father with a quiet 'Love you dad'. When he lay back down, he snuggled up to Itachi and with a sleepy murmur he said "Love you mommy." Kisame noticed the smile that came over Itachi's face and he leaned down, kissing the boy on his head.

"I love you too, Amida." He said in that gentle, feminine voice. Kisame wrapped his arm around Itachi and snuggled up to the man's back with a sigh of relief. He nuzzled the back of Itachi's neck and inhaled the scent of his hair. Everything about Itachi was now feminine and Kisame liked it because, even though it was still his Itachi under it all, they were 'legally' married.

* * *

Miranda was pacing back and forth, like a caged tigress. Kankuro was in their bedroom being treated by Kyuubi's female and his step sister, Tenten. Something dark and dangerous coiled inside Miranda at the thought of him being hurt by that machine and she snarled, wishing she could decapitate the thing all over again.

She turned and started pacing back towards the window, hissing like a pissed off feline the whole time. Her eyes were nearly black with her rage and her fangs were gleaming with the desire to kill. Someone had harmed her mate and she wanted to know who it was so she could kill them. The clearing of a throat had her whirling around and staring at the small woman that was Kyuubi's mate. The girl gasped and backed up a step, her hand to her chest.

Miranda glared and hissed at her. "Is he alright?" though she was angry, she was worried as well, and that seemed to translate through more than the anger at this point.

"Y-yes…j-just a b-bruise on his j-jaw." She said and looked at the floor. Miranda walked towards her and then pushed passed her, seeing Kankuro swatting at his sisters as to make them go away. Kit was laid out on a cot nearby, Hidan lying beside her, his arm around her. Pein and Konan were there as well.

Miranda slipped up to Kankuro and made a whining noise. Kankuro stiffened and looked over at her before pulling her to him and burying his face against her neck, inhaling the scent of her hair. She purred at him and rubbed against his body in a satisfied way. She even licked his bruise lightly before nuzzling against his chest. He sighed and laid back down, Miranda draped over his chest.

* * *

Hidan was worried. Whatever that mechanized monster had hit Kit with, she hadn't woken up from yet. It worried him that no matter what he didn't, she wouldn't wake up. He looked up when several of their refugees made their way in, their eyes concerned. One pair in particular, an orange pair, caught his eyes. However, it was the small chocolate eyed girl with him that spoke.

"How is she doing?" the girl asked in a frightened tone. Hidan looked down at her sadly and shook his head.

"She still hasn't woken up. I can't get her to respond at all." He said in a thick, quivering voice. He noticed the male looking at him before stepping forward and holding his hand over her head. He moved his hand down her body before his eyes widened.

"Is she mated to someone?" Hidan arched a brow and nodded, and the male just kept staring.

"She will be very heartbroken when she wakes up." He said in a sad voice and removed his hand, taking Matsuri into his arms. Hidan had a very bad feeling about this.

"W-why?" he asked in a strained voice. He really didn't want what he thought this was about to be true.

"The blast that monster hit her with was an EMP strong enough to knock her unconscious. But…it also killed the pup growing inside her." The man replied sadly and Hidan could only stare down at his lover. Was that why she was still out? Because on some level she knew she'd lost their baby? Hidan let out a chocked sob and gathered her up in his arms and buried his face in her hair.

He murmured apology after apology to her, but the only response were slow tears that tracked down her face and shattered on the wooden floor.

* * *

His head was throbbing. Where was his son? Where was Sakura? That thought struck him as odd. The last thing he remembered was transforming into Shukaku and tracking down their son. He opened his eyes and hissed when bright light temporarily blinded him. When his eyes finally adjusted, he noticed himself strapped to a table. There was a man in a white coat with his back to them, but he had graying hair from the looks of it. With a silent scowl, Gaara tested the bonds.

"There's no use in trying to break them. They were designed specifically for you and others of your kind." The man said in a deep voice. Gaara growled low in his throat as he watched the man. The man turned and the only thing Gaara could see were the sheen of glasses, a sadistic smirk, and a needle.

"This will hurt more if you struggle." He said as he approached with the needle. Gaara called his sand to him and wrapped it around his body, crystallizing it so that the needle had no chance of piercing his skin. He gave a satisfied rumble when the needle crumpled and the man frowned in frustration.

Gaara glared at the man before struggle once more. This time, the restraints cracked and then shattered. Gaara leapt away from the man and looked around. The scent this man emanated was the same as the scent near the car where Tomi disappeared. His eyes bleeding black and gold again, Gaara crouched and growled. "I'll give you one chance to give me back my cub." The man, instead of cowering, smirked.

"Impressive parental instincts. And rightly deserved. However, I have one more piece to capture before it is checkmate." The man then walked out a door. Gaara tried to give chase, but something threw him back from the door. He stood up and found a robot in front of him. It had a twisted mask on its face where it had tried to assimilate someone's face and failed.

Growling, Gaara roared once more, attacking. "WHERE IS MY CUB?!" he demanded as he vicious attacked the monster before him.

* * *

Orohicmaru dragged himself to the one part of the lab no one but he had access to. He opened the door and hurried in, looking around him frantically. He couldn't afford one of the experiments finding him in this condition. He made his way over to the couch and flopped down. He reached into his pocket and grabbed the needle from it and uncapped it. Suddenly, a shadow appeared behind him.

"How are the preparations going?" Orochimaru asked in a strained voice. The shadow answered.

"Very well, currently. The Tanuki is fighting one of my toys, the Kyuubi is almost here and the female is searching out her mate. The two boys you fostered and sealed the two beasts in are not currently active. I'm not sure what they are doing, but it's not fighting. I think they are lying low and observing. Very smart of them actually." Orochimaru turned to look at the other man over his shoulder.

"Why have they come after me so suddenly? I thought I'd have more time to prepare…at least get past the mark date and then regain a little strength, but they came the day my mark expires. I have until midnight to complete the procedure or I turn to dust." He panted heavily and then took the cap off the needle, jabbing it into his thigh. He sighed and lay back, letting the drug take its course.

* * *

Sakura couldn't get the stench of the man from before out of her mind. She knew that scent…it was a scent she'd smelled once, a long time ago. She shook her head and ran towards where she knew her mate was supposed to be. Things had gone from bad to worse when they'd infiltrated the base to find Tomi.

She skidded to a stop as she came to a fork in the passage. Matsuri had said nothing of this portion of the base. Perhaps it was a part she was unfamiliar with? She lifted her nose and took a deep breath. Both passages smelled heavily of her lover, but it was the one to the left that smelled kind of like sandalwood that decided her on what route to take.

Running with unnatural speed, she was surprised when the wall right in front of her exploded and two bodies tumbled out into the hallway with her. She noticed a head go flying and there was a distinct buzzing noise. When the dust cleared, Sakura raised her head and a smile split her face…Gaara. He turned and noticed her and the first thing he did was drag her to him and kiss her ravenously.

She moaned and pressed against him as his hand wandered up her shirt and cupped her breast. Her mind went blank for all of three seconds until she remembered her son was somewhere inside this place. She made a whimpering noise and gripped his wrist, tears coming to her eyes. He pulled back fractionally and looked down at her tear filled eyes.

"Where's my baby?" she asked in a quivering voice. She noticed him growl before nearly crushing her in a hug.

"Our cub. I can smell him. He is close." Gaara replied and took her hand, running towards the place where Tomi's scent was the strongest. They stopped as a man looked up at them in shock.

"How did you find this place?" the man, Orochimaru from the looks of things, asked in a shocked voice. Sakura hissed at him and bared her fangs at him.

"Where's my baby? What did you do with him?" she growled, stalking towards the scientist. She was stopped by a voice she was familiar with…one she'd trusted.

"It's nice to see you again, Sakura." The pleasant voice threw her as she whirled and locked eyes with the man who had delivered Tomi in the hospital. Sakura's eyes widened in shock.

"D-Dr. Higeshi?" she asked in a trembling voice. He smiled at her and stepped forward, revealing himself to them. He was tall, moderately built, and had glasses that framed normally kind blue eyes. Right now, those eyes were cold and calculating.

"Ah, you remembered me. How sweet." He said before looking over at Orochimaru, who was suddenly having a seizure. He cried out in pain and everyone just stared at him. His veins started to turn black and he screamed in agony. The man known as Dr. Higeshi adjusted his glasses and watched.

"Hmmm…I wonder who would have poisoned you, Orochimaru." He said it so dispassionately that Orochimaru looked over at him in shock. He remembered the needle and cursed his lack of foresight. Of course, Kabuto had left Sasori a toxin. But in his pain, he'd been willing to take it to alleviate the torture of dying after centuries of living. He gasped and threw himself to the floor, writhing.

Sakura looked horrified by the event and took a step back. Higeshi chuckled and shook his head before looking at Sakura again. "How have you been since the last time I saw you Sakura? Tomi sure is getting big. And so handsome." His smile made Sakura flinch. But he just shrugged it off and continued on.

"I've been watching you, these past few years. You've certainly gained some unique abilities to try and protect your son." Sakura stiffened and growled low in her throat. She was about to say something when a cry from Orochimaru cut her off.

"Saitou, help me! Make the pain stop!" the man hissed and rolled around on the floor screaming. The doctor arched a brow and walked over to the man and shook his head.

"You shouldn't take other people's medicine. Besides, I don't need you anymore. I got what I wanted and now I will continue your work and become immortal." He said in a sadistic voice. Sakura watched them interact as Saitou turned back to her.

"I have worked years, alongside men like Orochimaru and Sabaku, trying to find a way to live forever. I have finally found it in the blood of a child born of a demon and a human." He smiled maniacally and Sakura gasped in shock as an unconscious Tomi appeared in the doctor's arms.

"What are you talking about? Sasori wasn't a demon and neither am I! How can you say that he's part demon?" she demanded and took a step towards her son. Saitou smirked and held up one finger, shaking it at her.

"Ah ah, mother wolf. You stay right where you are." He said before looking down at the sleeping child. His mouth twisted in an evil smile. "It is foolish to think that a sterile man could father a child on you, my dear." Sakura gasped and took a step back in shock. Saitou chuckled lowly.

"That's right, dear. Sasori has been sterile his entire life. A fact that not even he knew of, but I did. I knew he'd be the perfect puppet to entrap you." He chuckled and watched the horror grow on Sakura's face. He threw his head back and laughed. "The perfect specimen with the best breeding. Your parents were both talents, very strong ones at that. But in the end, they fell victim to the one thing even talents can't escape…love." He regarded her as tears came to her face.

"Oh, but you thought it was just because Sasori wanted you. I remember what you told me in the hospital, when you were brought in. I made sure I was the doctor treating you. You wept bitterly about that madman killing your parents. But, in the end, he had no more control over that aspect of his life than you did. He had an inhuman need for you and it was because I put that need in him." Saitou smiled as her hands flew to her mouth and tears fell.

"Sasori was a mental patient from when I worked at the psych ward. His parents were murdered, just like yours. He, like you, was a strong talent. It was easy enough to hypnotize him. He went willingly…anything to stop the pain." Saitou chuckled and watched her. "I implanted the insatiable need for you in him to draw you out into the open so that I could have my female test subject. I already had my male…" he chuckled darkly and then looked back at Gaara.

"Your parents realized when Sasori came after you, and they knocked him unconscious, that it was hypnotic suggestion. I couldn't afford for them to spill what they'd learned to The Agency, so I killed them. I hypnotized you to believe that Sasori did it, and it worked wonderfully." His smile was downright cruel now. He then turned to Gaara, his eyebrow arched.

"Your paternal instincts are much strong that your father and I had anticipated. Without even knowing the boy really was your child, you walked into a trap to find him." Sakura gasped and Gaara's eyes widened, his demon shocked into retreating. Jade met those cold blue eyes in utter shock.

"W-what?" he asked as his hands shook slightly. Saitou laughed at their expressions.

"Were you not listening when I said Sasori was sterile? There is no way Sakura got pregnant from him. She got pregnant _after_ the attack. I'm the one that planted your genetic material inside her." He cackled madly as he noticed their shock. He then decided to boast.

"Your father dreamed of immortality, just like I did. Orochimaru had achieved longevity, but at the hands of someone not of science. We, true scientists, never stopped believing there was a way to gain immortality through science. It was right after your father was taken that I figured it out. We'd been working tirelessly on creating a hybrid that could bond with a human and turn him into an immortal. I found that by using the blood of a half human, half demon child, I could reverse the aging process permanently. Instead of growing old, I would stop aging altogether!" Sakura's hand flew to her throat as she stared at her child.

"You…You mean that Tomi…Tomi is Gaara's child…that you implanted in me?" Saitou smirked and regarded her.

"That's right. Using genetic material gathered in the lab, I was able to directly implant Gaara's DNA into your womb, producing this half breed child." His smug, self satisfied smirk made Sakura seethe inside.

"And with this child's blood, I will become immortal!" he crowed in success. Sakura's eyes were bleeding red by this time and an aura of rage was now visibly dancing around her. She heard Saitou's cackling cut off by his shock.

"What the hell?" his voice now sounded panicked as Sakura glared at him.

"I trusted you. I trusted you when I didn't have anyone else to turn to and you betrayed me. You implanted a child in me and allowed me to believe that it was the child of the man that raped me. You made my suffering so much worse than it should have been. You drove Sasori to insanity, manipulated people, hurt people…you used me." She hissed and her aura flared dangerously. Even Gaara had to step back from his lover as her aura lashed out at those around.

"And now you mean to hurt my child…the child _you_ put inside me. The child I have loved and protected for all of his life. The child that I went through hell in order to protect. _My_ child, _my_ baby. I don't care how he was conceived, he is still my baby and I will kill you for putting your hands on him." She screamed and rushed forward with such speed that the man didn't have time to react.

His eyes went blurry as Sakura's punch rattled his brain. He felt himself flying across the room and into the wall. When he managed to focus again, he felt unimaginable pain all over his body and saw Sakura crouched close to the ground, her eyes a vibrant green color and her deadly red aura pulsing around her. Tomi was in her arms, cradled against her chest, as if she were nursing him. He could hear her growling.

"My pup…kill threat to pup." His eyes widened when she bared long, deadly looking fangs at him. He staggered to his feet, only to gasp and struggle when something pinned up against the wall by his throat. He found the insane gold/black eyes of Sabaku's youngest son, Gaara.

"You used me to get a girl pregnant and I never even knew about it. I would never have known if Sakura hadn't come here. And now you plan to use our child, _my_ child, to become immortal at the cost of his life?" there was a deep, deadly growl as those insane eyes met frantic blue ones. He'd not anticipated this turn of events.

"You will burn in hell, along with my father and Orochimaru for the things you did to other people." Gaara hissed and then flicked his wrist, snapping Saitou's neck. Gaara dropped him to the floor and then turned, walking back to Sakura and Tomi. He hit his knees in front of Sakura and they stared at one another for a few seconds before embracing. He put his nose in her hair and sighed as tranquility washed over him. It was over.


	30. Starting Over

**A/N: EGADS! It's finished! Sis's masterpiece (which i corrupted a bit) is finally finished. How'd you like the twist from last chapter? Pretty ingenious eh? Sis came up with that, believe it or not. Hope you enjoy. I'm leaving this open intentionally, in case people are wondering. I'll explain later, right now I have to hurry to class : /.**

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Chapter 30: Starting Over

Sakura smiled for the camera as Sarutobi took her picture. She had her cap and gown on and was waiting for the ceremony to start. It had been a long three months in which things had settled down significantly. Life, compared to what it had been, was relatively simple now. Sakura was no longer haunted by nightmares or memories of Sasori. She'd laid that to rest. She'd found out from Lykos, Mila's mate, that Sasori had fallen in love with a girl named Noi and she had managed to break the hypnotic hold Saitou had on the young man. In the end, Sasori had sacrificed his life for both Noi and for Lykos.

Sakura's smile brightened as all her friends crowded around for a picture. Tomi ran up to his mother and she picked him up, holding him while Sarutobi took a picture of them all. Gaara was by her side, his face as stoic as ever. It was a trait Tomi was picking up the longer the older red head lived with them. She still remembered the faces of their friends when she and Gaara had informed them that Tomi was Gaara's child by blood. There had been tons of questions, but Gaara had looked away, embarrassed.

So Sakura had explained about Higeshi Saitou being the doctor that treated her after the attack and that he'd been a colleague of both Orochimaru and Gaara's father. That was all she'd had to say, because the others had accepted that readily knowing the story about the Sabaku patriarch all too well. Temari had been ecstatic, as now she had a blood related nephew to spoil. Sakura laughed as Tomi put his little hands on her cheeks and smiled lovingly up at her. Itachi and Kisame were standing close by as Amida ran up to Sakura and she picked him up, holding both boys close.

The pictures were endless as loved ones gathered around to take pictures. A picture of just Gaara, Sakura, and Tomi was the finishing touch as the bells chimed for the ceremony to begin. Laughter was heard as, instead of the assigned pairs that were supposed to walk down, they walked down as couples. Tenten and Neji walked down together followed by Hinata and Naruto, Ino and Kiba, Shikamaru and Temari and Gaara and Sakura. They heard Tsunade grumble as they sat down on the stage and the other graduates followed in their wake.

When things settled down, Tsunade started the ceremony. After handing out the diplomas, she called for the Valedictorian of the class to speak. Amazingly, Gaara rose and went to the podium. "I'm not one much for words, but…" he trailed off and looked over at Sakura, who was smiling at him. With a smirk, he continued. "Since the beginning of this year, disaster after disaster has occurred. People we love and care for have been put in harm's way, hurt, and threatened. And yet, we persevere. Students are supposed to go through high school to help them prepare for the real world…" he smirked and looked down at his son, who was waving from Sarutobi's lap.

"Well, I can honestly say that this last year of high school, for me at least, has opened my eyes and given me a glimpse into my future…and I wouldn't have it any other way." He said before turning around and looking at the other students. "Congratulations, Graduates of the Future." He said and clapped, along with the others. Sakura cheered from her seat before racing forward and kissing him on the lips. Her hands were on his face and his on hers, their golden wedding bands gleaming in the harsh light of the auditorium.

All the graduates took their hats off and threw them into the air, cheering. As Gaara, Sakura, and their friends made their way down to their families, Sakura ran to Sarutobi and hugged him, thanking him for everything. Next in line was Deidara, who was wearing a light colored sundress that highlighted her status as an expecting mother. Sakura then hugged Uri, who congratulated her with a kiss to either cheek. Sakura then hugged Itachi, who looked more and more feminine every time Sakura saw him.

Amida jumped from Kisame's arms into Sakura's and hugged her tight and she hugged him back, laughing. She then hugged Kisame and kissed his cheek. She smiled at her family as she went back to Sarutobi and got her son and took him to his father…his real father. She smiled as she thought of that. Despite everything, nothing had changed between Gaara and Tomi. Gaara still loved the boy with all his heart, but now he was even more assertive in the boy's life. The fact that twenty three of Gaara's chromosomes had helped create the child was a strong factor that Sakura couldn't argue against…not that she would.

Diplomas in hand, they all headed out of the building. As they made their way to their car, Sakura felt a chill go up her spine. Someone was watching her. As innocently as she could, she turned and looked back at the school, as if reminiscing. She smiled and then slowly turned back towards her car. Her eyes, on their preliminary sweep, momentarily met black, soulless eyes. When she was about to get into the car, she acted as if she were doing a double check, as if she knew the person. Her eyes locked soundly with those evil black eyes and she suddenly smiled sweetly at them. She waved and then got into her car.

She noticed Gaara looking at her and she shook her head, smiling as she told him "I'll tell you all about it when we get home, dear." He nodded and kissed her before pulling out and heading to their home. As they drove away, she looked in the rearview mirror and noticed the young man that was still staring at her car. Those black eyes worried her. She'd seen eyes like that somewhere before…she heard her son giggle and she looked back at him, love in her eyes. Everything was going to be fine now.


End file.
